(A/N) Here we go. Chapter 1 of what is currently called The Ascension. As I said before, my idea for this story, which will be set about two weeks after the epilogue of CoHF, is all about the search for new Shadowhunters. It'll switch between POVs a bit, but I'll try to keep it from getting confusing, and I won't switch more than once or twice a chapter, I hope. That's about all I have to say. ENJOY

As he lay in his bed, Simon couldn't help but think about how much his life had been flipped since Clary had come to see him at St. Xavier's about two weeks ago. For the months before that, he had lived a very normal, unassuming life with his mother again, doing the things a normal teenager does. Going out with friends, doing homework, practicing with his band. These were all very mundane things. As he was doing them, they felt normal and exciting. Looking back now, remember the parts of his life that he did, he realized how extremely boring his mundane life was when compared to the excitement of the Shadow World.

Since Clary's mother's wedding, he had remembered some other things on his own, and some things with the help of Magnus. He remembered the events of the Mortal War with Valentine, and many of the events of the Dark War with Sebastian. He remembered receiving the Mark of Cain from Clary, and he remembered how he lost it in exchange for Glorious, the Archangel Michael's sword. He remembered up to the Seelie Court. After Alec killed Meliorn though, after that he remembered nothing. For some reason, Magnus would not tell him anything about it either, other than it was something that his Ascension would hopefully help him remember.

He had started hanging out with the group again, but never at the Institute. They told him that although he remembered much of the Shadow World, they could not technically show him the Institute without breaking Clave Law.

As they did whenever he thought along this path, his thoughts turned to Isabelle. Isabelle. Just the name brought his thoughts down. She seemed extremely reluctant to get close to Simon. She seemed almost angry with him, but for what he wasn't sure. Being a woman, she wouldn't tell him, preferring to be angry at him without giving him a chance to apologize for whatever it was he did. He assumed it was something that had happened after the Seelie Court, because otherwise he would remember it. He had tried asking Clary, but she wouldn't tell him why Isabelle was angry. Actually, none of the group had given him an answer, just saying that he would remember at some point, that they couldn't tell him yet.

It sucked, it really did. He loved her. He really did. He couldn't ever remember telling her that he did, but he did, with his entire soul. Even when his memories were gone, he dreamed of her. When he slept, his dreams were invaded by the dark haired, dark eyed warrior. When he woke, he would remember her face, and feel as though he should remember her from somewhere, but he was never sure where. When he had seen her at the coffee shop, after Magnus had talked to him, somewhere in his heart, he recognized her. When Magnus had called her, had said Isabelle, it felt as though his heart had jumped in his chest.

And then, at the wedding, when he remembered, at least some of it, when he remembered that she had loved him back, he had almost fallen over. When they talked though, it seemed very stiff and awkward. She didn't even look as though she wanted to talk to him, and he wasn't sure why. He remembered some of the time they had shared, before any of the things that had happened in Alicante. He remembered Magnus's house, sleeping with her. Hell, he remembered the night he had fed from her. That had to be his most vivid memory. The fact that she had trusted him so much to allow him to drink from her, knowing that he could kill her like he had nearly killed Maureen. He remembered all of the kisses they had shared, and yet, when he told her that, she had seemed angry. He had seen in her eyes though, a twinge of sadness, and it was something he never wanted to see again. He had sworn to himself at that moment, that after his Ascension, he would make it up to her, everything. He had vowed to himself that he would never make her sad again. Whenever he had seen her after the wedding, she had stayed as far away from his as possible, seeming intent to avoid him at all costs.

With those thoughts on his mind, he fell into a dreamless sleep.

-Clary-

Clary was at the institute, spending some time with Jace. They had been training together for a while, and Clary had wanted to shower after they were done, since she was sweating fairly heavily. Jace, being a teenage guy, had joined her. Clary had allowed it, much less shy after what had happened in Edom, and she had figured what her mother didn't know wouldn't hurt her. They hadn't done much, but just being with him was extremely relaxing. When they had gotten out, they had spent more time on Jace's bed, just talking and occasionally making out. At some point during their conversation, Jace had mentioned Izzy, saying that she had been very reclusive since the wedding and her talk with Simon. Clary wasn't sure what they had talked about, but after that day, Izzy had seemed very reluctant to talk with Simon, and Clary wasn't sure why. Since she was at the Institute, Clary decided that she was going to go talk with Izzy for a bit. Jace seemed grateful, and it hit Clary how close the three other Shadowhunters really were.

Heading to Izzy's room, Clary found the door shut, which wasn't a surprise to her, considering Jace's comment. Knocking on the door, she received no response from inside, so she entered.

Not even looking up from whatever she was reading, Izzy said, "What do you want, Clary?"

"I want to talk to you."

"I had guessed that, since you decided to seek me out."

"Isabelle, what's your problem? All you do is stay in your room, and you won't even talk to Simon whenever he goes out with us. Why?"

"That's none of your business Clary. Let it go."

"No Izzy, I'm not leaving until you tell me what's bothering you, because it's obviously something."

"Fine. You want to know what it is, here. Simon chose to give up his memories back in Edom, knowing it would mean we could never be together. He knew that I loved him, that I love him, and he still gave them up. That hurt Clary, it hurt me to the core. And now, there's a chance that he could regain his memories, but it's just a chance. I don't want to let him back in, just after I had gotten back what sanity I could. What if the council won't let him Ascend Clary. If I let him back in, and that happens, it'll be like ripping my heart out all over again. I don't think I could survive it."

At that speech, Clary softened. She couldn't even imagine what she would have done if it had been Jace to give up his memories. She didn't think she would have had the will to even continue living. "Izzy, I can see why you would be mad at him, but he doesn't even know why you are mad at him. He doesn't remember anything of what happened in Edom, and Magnus says that he won't until after he ascends, if then. But pushing him away now, that's just hurting him more. He remembers you Izzy, he remembers what the two of you had. He loves you Izzy, I don't think even Asmodeus could take those memories from him. I see it in his eyes, whenever we are all together and you won't even speak to him. It hurts him, because he does love you, and he remembers that at one point, you loved him -"

"I still do, I never stopped. You know that Clary," Isabelle said, looking like she was going to cry.

Her tear-filled eyes surprised Clary, she had only ever seen Izzy cry once or twice before. "Then for the Angel's sake Isabelle, stop pushing him away. If you keep doing it, he'll convince himself that you don't love him anymore, and he'll stop trying. You know that they'll let him ascend, he has us to back him up. You know that I, Alec, Jace, and you will vouch for him. How could they not let him ascend, with those recommendations." At that, Izzy started to cry openly, and Clary walked to her bed and pulled her into a hug.

"Thanks, Clary. For pulling me out of my self-pity."

"You know that I'm always here for you, as well as Jace and Alec."

Izzy pulled out the hug at that moment, and leaned over her bed, seeming like she was looking for something.

"What do you need Izzy?"

"My shoes," she responded, giving Clary a look that screamed Duh.

"Izzy, it's past midnight, where on Earth could you be going."

With another Duh look, Izzy said, "To Simon's, where else."

"Izzy, it's past midnight, I'm sure that he's asleep by now."

"I don't care," she responded, and finished tying her boot. With that, she looked herself over in the mirror, and walked out of her room with a purpose.

Happy with herself, Clary jumped off of Izzy's bed and looked down the hallway, seeing Izzy walk into the elevator with a smile on her face, the first Clary had seen since the wedding.