I was already halfway down the dark and silent street when I was caught in headlights. I turned back for half a second to see a black Jeep Commander rounding the corner towards me. (A/N: Do I have any Noratch – as in Hush, Hush - supporters out there? If you are, you'll notice my reference…; D) I got a feeling in my stomach, instantly aware that the driver was Jace. I wasn't sure how, but I knew.

I turned back and started walking faster. I'd deal with him on Monday. Meanwhile, I was still shaking from the stairwell incident. My hands shook as I hastily wiped away the remaining tears. My feet shook as the slapped the pavement, one after the other. My body shook, though I was immune to the cold that was quickly enveloping me. My heart even shook.

I found myself wanting to forget this even happened, to forget any of it had ever happened. I wanted to deal with Jace as he was: sarcastic and snippy, without all the hurtful memories. But it was something that could never happen, so why bother wishing for it?

I tensed as the jeep slowed beside me and the window rolled down. "Clarissa," the whisper came, confirming my dreadful suspicion that the car belonged to Jace. "Come on, look at me."

I took a huge breath before planting my feet – and swaying slightly in my shaky less-than-balanced stance – and turning to glare at Jace. I was going to be brave. "Just get in the car," Jace mumbled as though he were still exasperated. "Come on. I'm not in the mood to deal with this."

"Seriously, Jace?" It was only then that I noticed Alec in the passenger seat. I wondered distantly how I hadn't noticed him before. "You're only making it worse."

Jace tensed, his angry gaze briefly turning to his friend – parabatai, I had learned. I thought Jace would snap back at him, but instead, his posture relaxed and he turned back to me. This time, his eyes held apologies.

"I'm sorry, Clary," he then voiced those apologies. "I know what I did was horrible and I have an explanation. I can't tell you yet, it's too dangerous. But I can tell you that I am going to spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

My heart swayed. His words brought back memories, beautiful ones I didn't care to resurface. I wanted to believe him, I did. As if sensing my hesitation, he added, "I swear that I will never hurt you again, Clary Fairchild."

It sounded strange to hear my real name from his mouth. But the words he said were passionate. And this time, I knew he was telling the truth. It seemed someone in the car – I figured if Alec was there, the others were too – thought I needed more persuasion, because the back window was rolled down.

"Shortcake," came Magnus' singsong voice. "Come cuddle me." This made me laugh, but I got in the car next to Magnus either way.

"Don't get glitter on my clothes," was all I said as I allowed him to wrap me in a hug.

0.o.O.o.0

Jace drove the jeep to my house. I let myself in quietly – after a long argument with everyone in the car about me going in by myself – and shut the front door behind me. I was careful not to wake Luke or my mother as I made my way to the kitchen. I grabbed something quick to eat (if you recall, I didn't exactly have time for snacking at the party) and retreated silently to my room to pack.

I didn't need everything. The Institute was only minutes from my house; I could always come back for extra things if I needed to. So I packed plenty of clothes and pajamas, toiletries, my school things, and literally everything art related in the house, other than the decorations and paintings off the wall. I had only one extra pair of shoes.

I almost left it. I almost walked away and left it as an afterthought. I almost made it away. But I couldn't. I snatched the necklace off my desk and shoved it into and extra pocket in my backpack.

In a last minute memory, I thought to write my mother a note. I left my suitcase and my backpack by the door. I went into Jocelyn's office, and scribbled a goodbye on a piece of paper.

Dear Mom and Luke,

I'm leaving. About a year ago, a terrible thing happened to me. After brutally losing the person I cared most about in the world, I fell two stories. Not only did I break a collarbone and an ankle, not only was a showered with cuts and bruises, I was left with a broken heart as well.

Two weeks after this incident, I had a visitor. His name was Magnus Bane. I'm sure by now you know where I'm going with this. Magnus, High Warlock of Brooklyn, told me everything. About how you were a Shadowhunter; about how I am too; about how Luke is a werewolf. He taught me – however limitedly – how to fight. He gave me a stele. He gave me a seraph blade. He gave me my history.

I know you didn't want me to know these things, for whatever reason. I'm sorry I lied to you. I need to know what you didn't tell me. I'm disappointed that you felt you had to lie. How could you keep my own identity from me?

I'll be staying at the Institute. Don't come after me. It's where I belong. I'm sorry I had to go. I'll be safe, I promise. I love you both.

Clary Fairchild

I folded the note in half and quietly ascended the stairs to deliver my letter. I rapped quietly on my mother and Luke's room to see if anyone was awake. No answer.

I let myself in and placed the note on the bedside table. It was dark and I couldn't see my mother. I felt around and felt the first sleeping hunch I could locate. Then I placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

I turned to leave. I had my hand on the doorknob when something made me stop. A groan. It wasn't sleep talking or acknowledgement. It was a groan of pain.

I flicked on the lights and was met with horror. Luke was sprawled shirtless on the bed in a pool of his own blood. I could see it steadily streaming from his shoulder. The room was torn apart, everything strewn around and tossed aside as if someone had been looking for something.

But that's not what scared me the most. It was the curling, snapping, slithering demon in the far corner of the room. It dripped mucus and its snarling teeth were bared.

I leaped into action. I knew my mother had a seraph blade under her bed. In record time and what must have been a stroke of luck, I was able to fish it out and bare it in front of me before the demon collided with me. I spun around and used the leverage to slash the blade through the air. It sliced the demon's front open, leaving a glaring gash over the place where it's heart should be. This solicited a furious yelp from the demon, but no real damage.

A heartless demon, I thought quickly, trying to remember what I read about them. Aim for the head. Yes, that's it!

In my delayed train of thought, the demon had time to clamp its jaws down on my ankle. I screamed in pain.

Now you would expect me to scream something normal like "Mom!" or "Dad!" or "Help!" or even just a normal wail. Instead?

"Jace!" I screeched at the top of my lungs. I knew I was too far away for him to hear, but still I yelled.

And then I had work to do. Suddenly angry, I stood on hesitantly and a little wobbly and I said, "Shut up, you worthless, slimy, thing."

Reacting to my voice, the demon turned in just the right way so when my seraph blade slashed through the air, the demon's head came with it. And the room was filled with a brilliant silence.

The blade slipped from my hands and landed with a clang. I distantly heard the front door opening. "Clary!" Jace called. I worried for a moment that he had heard me, and now that I'd killed the thing, it'd be held against me for months. But his voice was relaxed. "You took too long, so I'm coming in!"

Next came the vague sound as someone charged playfully up the steps. It took Jace a moment to find me. When he did, I fell apart. I started to cry as Jace took in this seen. Luke, passed out but still breathing and covered in blood. Me, violent tremors racking my body and also covered in blood. The demon, or where it used to be, now a spot of ichor and dust on the ground. The seraph blade that had slipped from my grasp and landed a couple inches from my toes.

I started sobbing when I realized the one thing missing from the room. Jocelyn was gone.

0.o.O.o.0

Jace crossed the room in seconds and had me in his arms. I didn't pull away. I was too torn apart to think how he had gotten me this way once. I let him fold me against his chest and try to calm the shaking.

"Shh," Jace calmed. "It's okay. You're safe. You killed it." I wasn't really scared. My mother was gone, and I was scared for her. But demons were my life. I'd killed plenty before on trips Magnus had supervised. Mostly I was in shock.

When Jace carefully led me out of the house, Izzy and Magnus were playfully chatting as they leaned against the car, and Alec watched them with sarcastic boredom. When they caught sight of us, everyone was on high alert.

Magnus was the first to step forward. He wrapped me in a tight hug, muttering "Demons?" to Jace as he did so. Jace responded with a firm nod and, "Took Jocelyn."

Alec stepped forward to Jace to ask if he had any injuries. "No," he said. "Luke's inside unconscious. Go." Alec stepped away immediately, on a mission.

Then Izzy stepped up. "Backpack and suitcase by the door," Jace murmured, and Izzy set off.

Hmph, I thought, though the timing was awkward. Well done.

Then Jace turned back to me, his eyes searching mine, and he beckoned me to him with his head. Immediately, I was back in his arms. If I was in my right mind, I wouldn't have gone anywhere near him. But I wasn't. And Jace's strong arms felt warm, and like they were made to fit me.

Jace pulled us into the backseat of the jeep and cradled me. I dug my head into his chest so I didn't have to watch as Alec loaded and unconscious and bloody Luke into the trunk. I felt Magnus squish in beside me, placing a comforting hand on my back. Alec got in the front seat, Izzy in the passenger's, and then we drove away.

In my distant mind, I regretted the harsh words I'd written to my mother. Then, without thinking about how terrible the thought itself was, I wondered if she'd ever get a chance to read them anyway.

I know this chapter was shorter than usual, but I wanted to get this one out fast so you guys know that I'm not quitting this story! See you soon!

-MajorArcana2