A/N: I know, I have been lousy at updating lately. Life's been insane… I have no real excuse. There will be this chapter, and hopefully tomorrow, a Christmas chapter. Expect cheesiness and fluff for that.

IMPORTANT! This is where the journal oneshot-iness ends and we develop a tiny bit of a plot! From here on out, bold is journal and normal is real time.

Enjoy!

Nov. 28

He's all I can ever think about anymore. If I look at Clary, all I see is his face when he was explaining what he did to her memories- smug and proud, but still sorry and full of understanding.

The slam of a door roused Clary from her reading. She leapt out of her chair in an instant. "Hey! Anyone there?" She yelled, recognizing her opportunity for help.

Isabelle popped her head in through the open door to the library. "Hey?"

"Um, Izzy?" Clary didn't notice her adoption of Alec's nickname for the volatile Shadowhunter. Isabelle did. She was much more shrewd and perceptive than her brothers often gave her credit for. "I'm lost. Can you, um, help me get back to my room?"

Isabelle nodded, sending her black curls dancing around her face. "Just put your book back; Maryse is sort of a stickler about that kind of thing and they'll be stopping by in a few days." When she saw the cover of Clary's book, a quick flash of realization crossed her face and Isabelle asked, "What were you reading, just out of curiosity?" Her attempt at being subtle was pathetic.

"Nothing!" Clary spun on her heel, trying to lose the book in the mass of identical volumes.

"Give. It. Here." Isabelle's voice took on a ferocious bite, and Clary was reminded of the girl in battle. She could see Izzy pulling out her whip with that voice.

Clary turned back around to face the fuming Isabelle. Like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar, she handed over her contraband prize. Isabelle snapped it out of the other girl's hand, and after only a cursory glance at the pages to confirm her suspicions, looked ready to actually pull out the silvery-gold whip coiled around her wrist.

"Do you realize what this is?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued. "It's Alec's. His fucking journal! These are his! Personal! Thoughts! What right do you fucking have to go pawing through it? Hmm? Did you ever think that maybe it was hidden away for a fucking reason? Did you think that maybe Alec doesn't want anyone fucking reading his personal thoughts? How would you feel if your shit was being poured over by Alec? If he read your sketchbook?"

Clary didn't interject to tell Isabelle that one didn't read a sketchbook. No, Izzy was far to close in personality to Maryse for that. The two were downright fearsome when they were upset.

Isabelle took a steadying breath, then another. After a moment, she seemed to have regained her composure. "I'm sorry, it's just Alec has been through some shit. He doesn't need anybody reading his thoughts. Believe me, when he's ready to talk about stuff, he will."

In a small voice, the still-scared Clary said, "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have read it."

"It's fine. Just think about stuff before you do it. If something is hidden, chances are that there's a reason it is. Leave other people's stuff alone." There was a slight pause, then a devilish grin crossed the middle Lightwood's face. "Unless 'other people' is Jace. Do you mind taking a quick detour on the way back to your room?"

A/N: another EPIC FAIL at a cliff-hanger. Sorry this is so SUPER short, it's just really late and I've had a massive workload for three weeks. There is a Christmas present on the way for you guys, and it will be longer than this. Review please?