A/N: Finally an update. Tell me what you think. There will be about ten more chapters and I have them all planned out, so hopefully updating will be easier. Review, please!

I don't own Mortal Instruments or any of its characters.

Chapter Twelve

~Clary~

The whispers started as soon as I walked into school. Maybe I was just being paranoid, but I didn't think so. But didn't all paranoid people think that way?

However, I think my suspicions were definitely confirmed when I spotted Kaelie whispering to Jace, and then turning to me with a little smirk when she noticed me. Oh god. It was like being punched in the gut. Or at least what I assumed to be a punched in the gut feeling since I'd never actually been punched.

Jace knew. Kaelie knew.

The whole school knew.

It was too much.

I turned and ran.

"Clary!" I heard Jace call after me, but I didn't stop or even pause.

…

Somehow I made it up to the roof. Legs shaking, I stumbled off to the side and crumbled down against the wall.

How could they know? I'd wanted a fresh start.

In my old school, I'd been bullied, been called ugly and a whole bunch of other names that I was trying to block out of my mind. Then, one day, this really cute guy asked me out, and I'd thought it was genuine. Of course it wasn't. How could a guy like me? I was scarred, a freak. He'd stood up me for our date and then laughed at me at school the next day, wondering why I'd thought he'd actually be serious when I was so ugly?

Just a bit traumatizing, even though I knew he was just a stupid boy.

"Clary," Jace said softly. I looked up at him. I wanted to run, but I didn't have the strength. Besides, what was the difference between him telling me he never wanted to talk to me again now or later?

He knelt down in front of me and held my gaze. To my horror, I felt tears pricking at my eyes.

"Well, now you know Clarissa Fray's great horrible secret," I said hoarsely.

"Clary." His voice was so gentle. So gentle. "That guy was an idiot."

My eyes widened in shock, and I felt something stirring inside of me. Hope. Was Jace going to be different?

Then he leaned in and touched his lips to mine.

~Luke~

He cracked open two eggs and dumped them into the frying pan, half-asleep. The memory of kissing Jocelyn still rampaged through his mind even as he tried his best to suppress it. Jocelyn was Valentine's wife. How could he be so disloyal?

Luke flipped the cooked eggs onto his plate and the doorbell rang.

"Yeah?" he asked, opening the door. He barely managed to dodge Jocelyn's punch.

"Where's my son?" she demanded, fists flying. Luke avoided her swings and caught her arms a second later.

"What are you talking about?"

"Like you don't know," Jocelyn snapped. "Sebastian didn't come home last night!"

Luke raised his eyebrows. "Maybe he stayed over at a friend's and forgot to call you? He is seventeen, you know. Teenagers do that."

Jocelyn hesitated. His logic made sense.

"I'm sorry for attacking you," she finally apologized, gazing up at him with wide eyes. "I'm sorry I automatically assumed the worse."

He cleared his throat. "It's okay."

Neither moved.

"Well-" Jocelyn began. Luke didn't even think, he dipped down and swept her away in a fiery kiss.

~Valentine~

He looked down on his son, who lay sedated on a white cot. His plans were converging. All he needed was Clary. Or rather Clary's mind, her photographic memory. She had the formula, and when he had it, he'd be unstoppable.