The next morning, Clary was awaken by screams from the first floor. She didn't know why she was in her brother's bed, who was still sleeping. She sat up straight, at the same time as Jace, who was rubbing his eyes.

"- What is it ?"

She shrugged and stood up, taking off her socks, and got out of the room, followed by Jace. They stopped on the stairs, to listen to the conversation.

"- You don't realize Michael ! They are not used to that kind of demons ! Clary woke up screaming during the night and she wont evern remember it tomorrow morning ! She described me the monster you sent them ! And it's not a demon you sent children fight against !

- And YOU didn't saw them ! It was a stupid little glamour and none of them had been able to detect it ! They panicked ! You should have seen your son, Robert. He was shivering, holding his bow, exactly as he was shivering when they gave him his first Mark !

- Are you insulting my son ?!

- I'm only saying what everybody is thinking."

Robert and Valentine were looking up and down at Michael, ready to stand up for their children. Robert sighed.

"- We should... Sit down. We sit down and you give us a report about what you think. Is it okay ?"

The other man nodded and Clary looked at Jace. She wasn't sure if she wanted to hear this, but Jace's eyes were sparkling. He wanted to listen. Fine. The ginger sat down comfortably, her back against Jace's legs and indicated the clock, whhich was showing four in the morning.

"- With who shall we start ?

- My son. Start with Alec. From the older to the younger of them."

Clary held back a grunt. She had always hated being the youngest.

"- Alexander is a chicken. A coward. He only do things to proove that he is able to do it. He run slower than Rosalina, he is less brave than Jonathan and less clever than Jace.

- Did you notice only a positive aspect in my son ?

- Of course ! He is good at running away and hiding."

Clary and Jace jumped when Robert hit the table with his fist, but Valentine was the one to shout:

"- You are wrong ! Maybe you saw that he do less things than the other children because he stay in the background, but he only does this to protect them ! He saved their day more than once, during my lessons ! He run lower but he is vivacious, enough to be everywhere at the same time, to have everybody's back !"

Michael frowned his eyebrows and nodded, for them to keep talking. Robert sighed and open the mouth.

"- I think Jonathan has a great potential. He always does his best to protect them and to attack with a real wrecking strength, but he is unable to protect himself because he keep thinking about the others before himself. It can be a quality but also a fatal flaw.

- It's exactly what I was about to say. He is narrow-minded, vain and unable to think. He always rush in to prove that he is the best, without thinking about the risk. He is not aware of the risk, for him nor for the others."

Clary clenched her fists. How dare him talk about her brother ?! Jonathan was not vain ! And he was even less stupid ! Well, sometimes he could be stupid, but not... That kind of stupid ! She turned her head toward Jace, who smiled at her, touch slowly her hair and her cheek, before looking back at her father, around the table.

"- Rosalina is a vivacious child, really smart. She had no problem to attack or protect herself, but her only problem is that...

- She fight without thinking about the other. She doesn't trust them to protect her and attack without thinking about them. Once, she almost kill Clary because she wanted to block an attack while the litte girl was on her way.

- And why was she ? She shouldn't have been there, that's all.

- It's not that she hadn't saw her, it's that she wasn't careful, as she never was !

- It's not her fault if, as an only child, she doesn't know how to behave with the others !

- Your daughter had been raised up with our children, they are like brothers and sisters, maybe like cousins, so stop saying shit, please. She know how to behave with the other, but not in fight condition.

- Had you noticed that Jace is also an only child, but he doesn't act like your daughter ?

- Yeah, well, let's talk about Jace."

Clary froze, while Jace smiled even more. He couldn't wait to hear Michael's slanders. The little girl caught Jace's hand and held it. He smiled at her but wasn't aware that she didn't held his hand to reassure her, but to held him from running down the stairs if their uncle cross the limits.

"- Yesterday morning, he disappointed me. He has the ability to became one of the best Shadowhunter ever seen, but he had not been able to react or to break the charm, even if Clarissa herself should have been able to do it. He didn't move. Only when the little girl shouted, he became conscious again, but he still didn't move at all.

- May I remind you that we were at his parents' funeral only two days ago ?! It's a child that lost his two parents in the same time ! You can't ask him to be effective right now ! We would be lucky if he didn't became depressed !

- We are Nephilim, Valentine, death's shadow is over us since Jonathan Shadowhunter himself. Death is a part of our daily life.

- He is only ten ! You're awful with this poor boy ! What is it Michael ?! We can't recognize you.

- I assume you know that Cordelia and Celine were Parabatai ?"

Jace and Clary froze. They do knew that meant to be Parabatai. Clary had saw his father be in agony during Stephen's death, because of that bond. Robert and Michael were also Parabatai. Joceyln was bound to her childhood friend, Lucian Greymark, Clary's godfather and Amatis' brother.

"- We know it. Why are you saying that now ?

- Because, when we came back to the Herondales funeral, I put our daughter to bed, and when I came back downstairs, I found a letter. A letter from my wife, saying that she was leaving the Shadow World, avoiding the pain, and that she didn't want to be followed."

Clary held back an exclamation and put her hand on her mouth, holding back her tears. Jace, speechless, looked at her and held her in his arms.

"- My wife leave me alone, with my little daughter, beacause of the death of her Parabatai. My daughter also lost one of her parents. Now, I wish to train her alone. I don't want neither her, nor me, to suffer from another loss."

Michael stood up and went toward the door, opening it.

"- Hail, and farewell, my brothers."

Without a gaze toward his friend and his Parabatai, Michael Wayland disappeared in the night.

"- Robert, I...

- No. Don't say a word Valentine. In one week, we both had lost our Parabatai and two couple of friends. I'm as sorry as you are, and I forgive his defection. But I will never forgive him his words towards our children. That is what I will never forgive him. He is supposed to be an adult, he is supposed to control his pain more than a ten year-old child, but have you seen Jace being violent and unfair toward the others ? By insulting our children, its Jace's pain and his parents' memory he insulted."

Valentine didn't say a word. Clary felt a hand stroking her cheek. Jace was wipping away the tears that had ran on her face.

'- Robert ? Will you come tomorrow ? Assisting to Jonathan's first rune ?

- I wouldn't miss it."

Robert smiled to his friend and slowly tap his shoulder.

"- See you at ten in the morning. We will eat in the garder ? See you soon, Robert."

He nodded and left the house.

Valentine sat down again and put his head in his hands. Clary gave a hint of walking toward her father but Jace's hand, holding hers, were holding her back, exactly like hancuffs.

"- Come with me.."

He stood up and Clary followed him, in her room. The grey and white walls seems dull to her, like the faded rune on her father's chest. He sat down on her bed, cross-legged, and Clary did the same, face to him.

"- I'm a little bit sad.

- Because Aunt Cordelia is gone ?

- Because we will never see Rose again. Nor Auntie Cordie. But Uncle Michael had been very evil and unfair toward us. I hope he will be sad without us.

- Clary ! We never wish someone to be sad ! Even if he had been evil ! And we never bite someone's ear.

- Why are you saying that ?"

Jace incline his head toward her, and she looked at him, without understanding what he was doing. Maybe does he wanted to show her how his hair were prettier than hers ?

"- Can you see the scar on my ear ? My mom always told me that you bite me when I was little."

Clary giggled, imitated by Jace.

"- Are you going to bed ?

- Are you tired ?"

Jace looked disappointed, thinking that Clary was about to sleep. Maybe does he wanted to stay up all night with her. Or maybe does he wanted to avoid his nightmares. She understood him. A few hours before, she had woke up, screaming, struggling in his brother's arms. The demon was haunting her sleep, also did the Death. Jace shook his head.

"- I'm exhausted. But I'm not sure if I'll be able to sleep..

- Do you want me to read you a little something ?"

Jace smiled and lay down on her bed, near to the wall. He was minuscule in the huge bed. Clary lay down next to him, with her mother's favorite book. She had never quite understood that book, but she loved the rhythm of the sentences, the tone of the words, the sound of the old english. She started to read:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair..."

"- CLARISSA ADELE MORGENSTERN ! JONATHAN CHRISTOPHER HERONDALE !"

The two children, laying against each other, woke up with a jump. Jocelyn and Jonathan, hands on the hips in the same position, were standing in front of them. Jonathan walked toward them.

"- What the hell happened ?! I fell asleep with two children in my room, one who was laying in the middle of the bed and the other who was snoring, and when I wake up, I'm alone ! What's wrong with you ?! You have no idea about how much I've been scared !"

Jace shriveled up but Clary frowned, woke up on the bed and looked at her brother.

"- First, I was stucked to you because you were pulling the blanket, and you were holding me ! I almost suffocated ! And if we woke up, it's only because Daddy was shouting in the living room."

Jocelyn frowned.

"- What time was it ?

- It was almost five. There was Daddy, uncle Robert and uncle Michael. They were talking about us."

Clary looked at the clock, showing eight. She had barely sleep tonight.

"- Come on, let's go downstairs. Daddy is sleeping and I wish not to wake him up.."

Jace and Clary stood up and Clary rushed on her brother arms. He carry her against him and she wrapped her legs around his waist while Jace did the same with his aunt. They went in the living room and cuddled up to eachother in the sofa. In the morning, Jace looked like he was almost 5 years old. He burried his face in his aunt's neck and rub his noze against her collar bone, while Jonathan was stroking his sister's hair.

"- Clary ? Would you mind explaining what happened ?"

She nodded silently and opened her mouth while Jace slowly went back to sleep.

"- We heard some screams from the living room and it woke us up, so we hid in the stairs to listen what were they saying. Uncle Michael was only saying that we were hopeless, that Alec was stupid, that Jonathan was a retard and that Jace had no excuse for frozing in front of the demon, but I don't agree with him. And then, he said that Auntie Cordie was gone because of Auntie Celine and that he didn't want to suffer anymore, and that he wanted to take care of Rose alone..."

Clary take a long breath, looking at her mother. Jocelyn was broken. In no time, she had loose four of her best friends. Clary looked at her brother, who smiled at her. Everything is okay sunshine, said his green eyes, but she was a bit worried. In a few hours, he had to...

"- By the Angel ! The ceremony ?!"

Jocelyn and Jonathan looked at the little girl and then, at eachother. When did she start saying "By the Angel" ?

"- You're right. You should all prepare for it.

- But ! My red dress ! It doesn't fit me anymore !"

Jace jumped and hardly opened his eyes, staring at her.

"- Why are you shouting ? And why... Why are we here ?

- Honey, you fell asleep on Clary's bed and we went here to talk, remember ? You had to go to the shower now. Robert went to give you your red clothes Jace. Clary, I brought you a new dress. Jonathan... Ready ?"

He nodded, kissed his mother's forehead, ruffled Jace's hair, kissed his sister's noze, before going upstairs, into his own bathroom.

"Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern. You are now of age. It is time for the first of the Angel's Marks to be bestowed on you. Are you aware of the honor being done you, and will you do all in your power to be worthy of it ?"

The Silent Brother, Brother Zachariah, was standing in front of her son, and Jonathan was looking at him, proudly. He seemed calm and relax but Jocelyn was able to see the tension in his shoulder and his neck. She was scared for her son. Afraid for him to suffer soon or later, afraid of the nightmares or the high temperature, afraid for him to die.

"- Yes.

- And do you accept these Marks of the Angel, which will be upon your body forever, a reminder of all that you owe to the Angel, and of your sacred duty to the world ?"

Clary was proud of her brother. Proud of him not to run away like she would have. Being a Shadowhunter was everything he had ever dreamed of, and nothing would stop him to fullfill his dream.

"- I do accept."

Valentin was shaking. He was shaking for his son. His own memory of his first Mark was still scaring him, and Jonathan had never had a good health. He was always sick, badly sick and the Brotherhood had ventured the possibility that his son may not be able to bear the Marks. But it was a choice that no one had the right to do for Jonathan. He was of age to flew away in an Institute but, as Alec did weeks ago, he stayed.

"- Then we begin."

He put the stele on Jonathan left hand. Jonathan felt his own breath speed up and cletched his other fist, pushing his nails into his skin. He always had been afraid of injections and scaled. The stele made him afraid but he wanted to fight for Good. He wanted to kill demons, to protect his sister and his friends. He wanted to prove to Michael Wayland that he was not stupid. He wanted to be a Shadowhunter, as his father.

Suddenly, a feeling of pain hurted his whole body, coming from his hand. He saw the black lines on his skin and the pain increased. He muffled a whine while a fear exclamation rang in the room. I wont cry. I wont cry. A Shadowhunter shall not panick. I wont cry ! He started to shiver and almost faint. Jonathan closed his eyes and stars appeared behind his eyelids. I will die without crying. I will not cry. I might die but I will not cry !

Pain poured back as quickly as it came.

"- You are a Nephiim now. I call you Jonathan Morgenstern, children of Jonathan Shadowhunter, children of the Nephilim. Rise, Jonathan."

He stared at his left hand, to see the Clairvoyant Sight rune on it. He turned, slowly, without realizing. The whole room was containing its breath. He faced them and suddenly smile while everybody explode on a violent explosion of relief. His mother and his sister stood up and Clary rushed toward him. She throw herself in his arms and he noticed that she was crying. He carried her in his arms, feeling like she had never been so tiny. She sobbed in his neck, hitting him without strength.

"- You scared me ! I thought... I thought you were... You scared me... !"

He smiled and held her closer, stronger as he never did. He saw his parents holding eachother, relieved and happy, Jace and Isabelle applauding and smiling, while behind them, Maryse and Robert were trying to calm their crying newborn

Jonathan looked at them warmly and met Alec's gaze. He was looking at him with a proud little smile. The two teenager looked at eachother and, quickly understood. After what their family had just endure, it was their duty to protect them. Because it was they were. A family.

Jace had came back to the Lightwoods', promising to his aunt that he would came back to sleep at their house once a week. They had spent the whole day celebrating Jonathan's first Mark, and now, Jonathan, Clary and their parents were laying in Valentine and Jocelyn huge bed.

"- I'm proud of you Jonathan. Really proud of you.

- My little Shadowhunter..."

Hoepfully they were in the dark, thought Jonathan, blushing. He thought that Clary was asleep. The little girl had spent the whole day stucked to his brother, holding his hand, whispering "I love you" in his ear, asking for hugs... He hadn't realize how much the other had been scared for him.

"- You are squeezing me..."

They bursted out laughing. Maybe Clary was not sleeping.