"You can't take me"

Jace

Alec throws his fist at me but I duck and he slams his hand into the wall instead of my face. He yells out in pain and lunges at me, but I dodge away and he falls to the floor.

"Alec! Stop it!" Izzy demands, pulling Max into the kitchen with her.

"Shut up Isabelle!." Alec orders as he pulls himself off the floor.

"Leave Jace alone!." Max says.

"Can it pipsqueak!." Alec snaps.

"Leave them out of it!." I growl.

"Fine, but you know you can't take me." Alec scoffs.

"You've got a big mouth, but let's see you prove it." I say.

Alec lunges at me again but I sidestep out of the way in time for Alec to fall into the front door as it opens to reveal Maryse. Well crap.

"What on Earth is going on?" She demands, shoving Alec off her.

"Alec attacked Jace Mom." Izzy answers.

"It looks like the other way around." Maryse says, glaring at me as she stands.

"It wasn't." I tell her, knowing already that she won't care that it isn't my fault. She has been searching for an excuse to kick me out for some time now. Maybe Alec came here solely to provoke me. We used to be best friends as irony would have it. It looks like our brotherhood destroyed the good in him. Love comes in many forms, and father's right: it destroys no matter what shape it comes in.

"Get out." Maryse demands, giving me a seething look that would cut deeper if there weren't hints of terrible glee in her eyes and if I weren't under the illusion that she had ever cared about me. It's a good thing that she's not a convincing actress, otherwise this would hurt right now.

I look at Izzy whose face has melted into an apology and I tell her, "It's okay Iz."

This snaps her into action. She stands in front of Maryse. "Mom, this isn't fair." She says in a pleading tone. "Jace didn't even touch Alec. He just jumped out of the way when Alec tried to hit him."

"Go to your room Isabelle." Maryse says in a dangerous tone.

"No, this is crap andin you know it!" Izzy exclaims.

"Go to your room!" Maryse screams.

Izzy turns pale and hugs me tightly. I hug her back and whisper, "Do as she says Iz. Do it for Max."

She looks at me with tears in her eyes and then sends Maryse a murderous glare that Maryse returns before turning heel and stomping up the stairs.

Max scampers over and slams into me and then clings to me. "You can't go. Please don't go." He begs in a cracking voice.

I can't look at him. If I do, I'll see his tears and I'll never be able to leave. I make him let go of me and I get down on my knees in front of him. Then I hug my little brother for what I fear may be the last time. Max starts crying and I hug him a little tighter as he wraps his thin arms around my neck. His face is buried in my shoulder and his tears soak into my shirt. My heart aches as do the backs of my eyes as I force myself not to show my emotions.

"Let go of him." Maryse demands.

We don't move an inch.

"Be good for your sister. Okay buddy?" I say in a cracked voice. I inwardly chide myself for displaying my weakness, but I feel like I'm losing my kid, not my kid brother.

"You can't leave. Who's gonna help you with your nightmares? Who's gonna help me with mine?" Max sobs.

"We're both just gonna have to be brave." I pull away and hold him away from me by his shoulders. "I need you to promise me something though. Okay?"

He nods in a lament fashion.

"I need you to promise to behave-don't stir up trouble in school or at home or with the law. You need to be good for Iz too-don't give her a hard time when she's watching you or just in general. You need to be brave and you need to do your best in school because you're so freaking smart kid. Most importantly, be the good person you are-don't change to try to be cool or popular because all that's crap. Popularity means nothing and it's cooler to be kind because that takes more guts than being a cowardly jerk. Promise me Max; please buddy?" I say quickly.

"I promise Jace." Max says, nodding solemnly at me.

"Come here bud." I pull him into one last hug and say, "You're gonna be okay. That's what I promise you."

"Can you promise me something else too?" Max chokes.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Promise me that you'll be okay."

"I promise."

I feel like I just lied to the kid.

Maryse clears her throat behind us and Max is ripped out of my arms.

"Leave." Maryse demands as Alec restrains Max.

"No Jace! You can't leave!" Max screams.

I nearly tell Maryse and Alex to kiss something of mine that I really shouldn't say in front of Max but I'm lifted off my feet and I land hard onto the wet doorsteps outside. My head smacks into the wall and I notice colorful stars floating around Mr. Lightwood's car which is now parked in the driveway. That explains how I ended up here.

It's storming, but I can still here Max yelling in the house even over the thunder. I hope he ends up okay. I'm going to check on him. I just don't know how yet. I stand and have to lean against the wall to prevent myself from doing a face-plant into a nearby puddle as my head spins. Casting one last look at the place where I stayed for nearly half my life, I turn and walk away, hardly feeling the rain as I walk unprotected in the middle of this storm.