AN: Hey! So I kinda changed my story a little bit. I'm going to do chapters called 'then' and 'now' until I get to the big thing that Jace did which made Clary leave. I did a really bad job on the previous chapter, so I've decided to just scrap it and rewrite something similar later in the story. This chapter starts a month or so after the last book in the series. Just in case you didn't notice, I've also changed the name of the story to City of Darkness instead of The Ring. I tend to change chapter names multiple times, so you can probably expect it to happen again. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Jace had been having a particularly bad day so far, and he wasn't anxious to have it ruined by more unwanted news from the Silent Brothers. Alec had been at Magnus', doing something that he claimed to be 'important'. Clary had been with Simon, her mother and Luke, supposedly helping to plan the wedding - again. And Isabelle had been with Jordan, probably venting about her Simon problems again - only this time without the alcohol. Unfortunately, this left Jace all by himself, with only Church to entertain him.

He had done everything imaginable, he'd even thrown a ball of yarn, which began to smoke when he held it for too long - this literal 'on fire' thing really wasn't working out for him, especially since he had to resist his urges around Clary.

What Jace was not expecting, however, was the visit from a werewolf, a female werewolf to boot. She had rapped lightly at the door, as Jace scowled, "Really Maryse, I don't need another pillow. I'm not dying, I'm on fire." Though the former might be preferable, he added silently. Since he was expecting Maryse, Jace was extremely surprised when a girl with caramel skin and dark hair pulled into tight braids walked in and flashed her pearly white teeth at him.

"Maia?" he asked, extremely confused, "You heard about the extravagant party I'm hosting? Me, myself and I were just in the middle of a great conversation."

"I'm not in the mood for your arrogant attitude or sarcastic remarks, Jace," she snapped at him.

"Sorry, the modest and not verbally ironic Jace has been on vacation for the past 19 years. I'm afraid if you want to see him you'll have to come back another time," Jace replied, his voice dripping sarcasm.

"You are exactly like him," she muttered under her breath.

"And whom is this person you are talking about? For surely, nobody in the world even comes close to my dashing good looks and even better personality," Jace replied cockily.

"The similarities almost want to make me run and hide," Maia said, though she looked completely serious.

"What? Can't take this stunningly attractive face any longer?" Jace questioned, amused for the moment.

"I wonder when you'll start becoming abusive," Maia couldn't hide the look of fear and curiosity from her face.

"If you haven't noticed, I already am verbally abusive. Most people are just too incompetent to understand my witty and genius remarks," Jace retorted.

"If only Clary could see…" Maia sighed exaggeratedly.

That was it for Jace, he was getting angry now. "What do you want, Maia?" he growled, struggling to keep his expression composed.

"I want you to do me a favour," Maia replied.

"You seriously expect me to do you a favour after you accuse me of becoming abusive? You may as well just forget that you asked, because it's not going to happen," he answered, his voice seethed with anger and his eyes narrowed to slits.

"Oh trust me on this one, I think you'll do what I ask," Maia sounded so sure that Jace's eyes narrowed further and his confidence began to fade.

"Why is that?" he had to ask, though he wasn't necessarily sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"I think I have something that may be of interest to you," she replied, obviously trying to prolong this one moment of uncertainty on Jace's part.

"Which would be…?" Jace prompted, hoping that she would just rip off the band-aid and tell him all ready.

"A cure."

Clary and Simon had taken the subway to the Institute, not bothering to ask Luke if they could borrow his truck. They got off of the subway and walked along the sidewalk aboveground, seeing as the weather was unseasonably warm for December.

As Simon looked over at his best friend, he could see her teeth clamped down on her lip, as they always were when she was nervous. He reached for her hand and she linked her fingers with his, like they used to when they were little and they had walked to school together. As they came up to the front door of the Institute, Simon gave Clary's hand a quick squeeze before releasing it so that she could open the door. Simon - not being able to enter the Institute - waved goodbye and walked to the coffee shop around the block, where Isabelle had asked to meet him.

Just as Clary walked through the door, Alec portaled in, presumably from Magnus' house. They nodded once to each other and walked towards the elevator, both of them nervously fidgeting. On normal occasions, Alec and Clary would have spoken to each other, but it seemed that with everything going on, they were both speechless.

As they walked into the elevator, Clary could feel an incredible amount of tension in the room that didn't ease her nerves in the least. Alec could have just come home to see his parents and visit Jace as usual, but Clary knew better. Jace had been told that he would hear the prognosis from the Silent Brothers today, and everyone was anxious about what they would have had to say.

Suddenly the lack of air in the tight space made Clary feel claustrophobic, and she couldn't be more anxious to leave. She felt dizzy, forced to lean against one of the walls for support. Her face paled and she felt as if she were about to be sick.

Alec looked over at her and gently caught her as she began to slide down the elevator wall, her knees going week. Her legs felt numb and she couldn't manage to stand. Jace was doomed. Jace was doomed, and Clary knew it. And if Jace was doomed, that meant that Clary was doomed too. They were both doomed.

They elevator made a dinging noise and Clary rushed out, managing to find her feet again. She sucked in huge breaths of air, her lungs inflating and deflating like a balloon. Alec crawled out afterwards, his face revealing no expression, but his eyes tinged with concern.

"Clary, I'm sure he's fine," Alec said reassuringly.

"I know, I'm overreacting, but what if he isn't fine? What if it's permanent, Alec?" Clary asked honestly, her eyebrows furrowing.

"When has Jace ever not been able to handle anything that's happened to him?" Alec answered her question with a question, and she wondered how much time he'd been spending with Jace lately.

"But what if he can't handle it?"

"Trust me, Clary. If he doesn't get to touch you because of his situation, he'll go to the ends of the earth to change that," Alec looked at her impatiently, obviously seeing more about Jace's feelings for Clary than she ever could.

They walked briskly together to the infirmary, where Jace was being held. A cloaked figure glided silently into the library as they passed. Looking through the door, Clary could see Maryse standing with a nervous look on her face as Brother Jeremiah began speaking to her.

Clary was now basically running to the door that led to the infirmary, suddenly overwhelmed with the thought that something might have happened to Jace. As soon as she arrived, however, she stopped and took a deep breath, not wanting Jace to see her so flushed.

She had been about to walk in, when she turned to face Alec. "Can I go in there on my own first?" she asked, pleading.

At first, Alec looked uncertain and it took him a minute to respond. "Sure, Clary," he said, his eyes full of understanding, making Clary wonder if in that moment of pondering, Alec had thought of what he would of wanted if it was Magnus.

She put her hand on the knob of the door, and slowly began to turn it.

Please review! :)

Peace, love and sparkles,

SLS