Simon
I was extremely thankful to Isabelle for getting me out of the awkward Malec moment. When I informed her of this, she only smirked and slipped her hand into mine. We WERE walking down the street through the crummy neighborhood, because of my dumb church-and-all-things-holy-rejection vampire persona come to life, but Isabelle didn't seem to mind. The silence was leading to too much observing of my surroundings, graffiti mostly, but all very offensive, so I tried to strike up a conversation with Izzy.
"So um . . . Isabelle . . . How come no one asked Jace why he left?"
She raised an eyebrow at me. "You're asking why Jace did something?"
Heat rose into my face despite my vampire-ness, and I couldn't look away from her striking blacks eyes. "I guess not," I said hesitantly. But he would have told Clary. Shaking off my uneasiness, I tried again. "Did you think about why Sebastian's body left with Jace? And now only Jace is back?"
She froze on the sidewalk. "Actually," she looked horrified, "Yes." I stared. She swallowed hard. "I couldn't say anything. I actually never saw him." She bit her lip, attracting me no matter how much I wished it didn't in that moment. "Clary looked so . . . so . . . I don't know, broken-hearted. I didn't question her, and I thought it seemed that Jace just needed some alone time. I know HE put Sebastian somewhere. I'm just too scared to even wonder what for. And when, unfortunately, it won't be there anymore." She looked frightened and small, making me feel protective.
"Isabelle," I said, stepping forward. She squeezed her eyes shut, and then opening them wide she shook.
"I know he's all wrong. I can feel how wrong he is," she pointed to her chest, "In here. But . . . but I just don't want to believe it."
Not bearing it anymore, I pulled her to me. Wrapping secure arms around her, I tried to make her feel better. Frail arms went around my waist, and I could feel the toll Jace's disappearance had on her. "Izzy," I whispered soothingly into her hair.
"Thanks Simon," she kissed my cheek, making the spot tingle and goose bumps rise. "You're so supportive and tolerant, I don't really know what to say to you sometimes," she mumbled it, but there it was. I raised my hand to touch her cheek, fingers on her neck, and thumb running along her jaw. She turned into it, and stared into my eyes.
"I'm here for you, Isabelle."
Her eyes fluttered shut, and I barely had control over my body as I leaned into her. So close, I could feel her breath on my face, minty and cool. Drug-like. I couldn't take my eyes off of her fuchsia lips. Electricity buzzed between us so fast I could almost hear it.
I should've known something would ruin the moment. At that precise time, a blood-chilling scream rang out from inside the Institute. And I knew, as I would always know, who it was. Clary. And she was screaming for Isabelle.