"I think I already know what you're going to say." Emily had stood up and backed away from Chase, feeling like each step was a stab to the heart. Finding her voice seemed harder than killing Jonathan at this point, but somehow her vocal cords stayed working with effort. "And I don't want to hear it."

"Wait!" Chase scrambled to his feet and grabbed her arm before she made it to the door. She struggled to get away, mainly because she wasn't even sure who she was looking at now. Every time she looked at him he was another person. How many times can one person change in the matter of a week? It couldn't be healthy. How did Isabelle and Simon deal with it?

She didn't really care to know, because dealing with him was the last thing she wanted to do. "Let go of me, Chase." She tried to put as much malice into that one demand, but he didn't seem to even notice. He just shook his head, tightening his grip on her wrist as he pushed her back, and into the wall by the door. Both his hands gripped hers, pushing them up and over her head, making her more vulnerable than ever before. Although it was exhilarating, the fact that he thought it was okay to pin her like this angered her as well. "I mean it, I'll break your arm if I have to."

"There's something that I haven't told you," he said as the tears slowly stopped. "I reported directly to Leviathan, for he was the one who had my mother and sister. But last time I was there, they were gone. I think that Lilith took them, locking them in the same place as everyone else. But there's something else."

"Chase, stop."

Something in her voice must have reached him, because he actually let her hands go. They came down, falling at her sides as he flattened his hands against the wall. She was trapped between his arms, not exactly touching her but making it quite obvious that he didn't want her to leave.

Emily sighed and glanced away, under his arms to the flowers. She hated how she was feeling right now. Confused. Lonely, even if he was with her right now. Lost. But more than anything, she didn't want to hear what he had to say. "Whatever you did–"

"Just let me talk," he begged. "For once, don't interrupt me and just let me speak, okay?" She wanted to say no, but didn't. Instead, she nodded, wrapping her arms around her torso, but kept quiet nonetheless. "Emily, everything I did, I did it for you. I just–"

Emily couldn't stop herself. "What are you–"

"Just stop!" His hands slammed against the wall again, just by her head. It didn't frightened her exactly, but like it always had been recently, there was mixed feelings when it came to Chase. "Emily, it's always been about you. Since I was fourteen, it's been about you. When I came here, all I wanted was my mother and my sister back. Lilith had taken them, captured them, and made me agree to a deal to get them back. I thought I could do it. After meeting you, I tried my hardest to make you hate me and to make the feeling mutual. It would've been easier but…"

Emily didn't know what to say when he trailed off. Her mind was still trying to comprehend what he just said. All of the name calling, the physical pain of trying to practically kill each other at Pandemonium, the anger between the two of them was only a one way street? She just couldn't exactly believe it. It's hard to fake the fighting that she and Chase did, always did. But that was the complicated part. She wasn't faking it, never had to.

Did he really expect her to believe that all of this was for her? And even if she did, which she didn't, what exactly was he talking about?

"After a while, I wanted to make you mad, to upset you. It sounds bad, but when you're angry, you don't even know how beautiful you are. You're eyes shine and the fact that you could rip me to shreds is exhilarating. I couldn't tell you why, and I know that this is confusing for you, especially with our past history of trying to kill each other." She rolled her eyes, staring down at his torso. It was easier than looking at his face at this point. The muscles across his stomach were more intriguing than the guilt look on his face anyway.

"It's more than confusing."

He took his finger and tilted her eyes back up, meeting his gaze against her will. "I know that. But that's why I wanted to talk to you. And it's only going to get even more confusing."

"I just have one question," she said as she got lost in the green forest that was his eyes. "What does Lilith want with my parents?"

Chase backed away at that. Emily watched as he took one step back, then another, until he completely turned around and walked away from her. She followed him to the edge of the railing that overlooked the city below. Although her own world was falling apart, it was as if nothing had changed to the mundanes. She wondered what it would be like to live like them. Wonder around, day by day, having the same job with the same boring people doing the same boring thing… It was so simple, no question as to whether your father would come home alive.

She hadn't even had a chance to talk to her dad since he got back. His every waking moment was spent with Clary or Isabelle, or dealing with Clave members. Even if she tried to talk to him, something always pulled him away so after the first day, she figured it was best to fend for herself after her conversations were always cut short. Although, Jace had a way of brightening everything up for her, and she knew that if she just had one conversation with her dad he could help her understand what it was she was feeling.

"I never actually wanted any of this to happen," said Chase. "Believe it or not, I really do care about you, Simon, Isabelle, even your arrogant father. But Leviathan is… persuasive on Lilith's behalf."

"How bad did she threaten your family?"

"She used Leviathan. I watched my mother go mad from the pain he could inflict. If I ever asked questions, spoke out of line, or didn't report in on time, Leviathan beat my mother to the point of her death. And he'd make my sister and I watch, helplessly, as she was slowly ripped from her soul. I promised her that I would protect her on the Tower Bridge, but I've failed in every aspect of that. She's gone through so much pain that she doesn't even remember me. Every memory she has of me is painful, and her brain blocks it out to the point that I'm just another face that she doesn't recognize."

Emily dared to glance over at him. His jaw was set. His hands gripped the railing that separated them from the fall to the concrete floors in a death grip. His eyes were clenched shut, as if the memories caused him actual pain. She couldn't even imagine what he was going through, and comforting people wasn't something she particularly excelled in.

But she did the only thing she could think of doing. Her hand descended over Chase's and she grabbed it, pulling him into her. They morphed together like puzzle pieces as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Emily, I–"

"Just shut up and hug me, you dickhead."

Despite the situation, he actually laughed a little bit and wrapped his arms around her. He buried his head in her neck, his curls tickling her like they always did. It shocked her that she already remembered that, how it always seemed to happen when he was close to her. And she found herself liking it, despite the fact that…

"You realize that you're hugging the guy that tried to have your parents captured by mother of all demons, right?"

She shrugged in his arms, burying her head in his chest. Thankfully he was so much taller than her. She might have gotten some of her dad's height, but it wasn't much. "You said 'tried', meaning you're not trying to do it anymore, right?" She pulled back as he nodded, smiling down at her. "But I still have one more question." She pointed to the box on the blanket that had secretly been in the back of her mind this whole time. "What is that?"

"Here, take this," Magnus instructed.

Isabelle took the cup of tea, but didn't drink it. She had been sitting in the same stool in the kitchen all day, staring at nothing and not talking. Losing Alec and Simon had been too much for, and Magnus thought that he had it bad. He was at least able to function in society. That's what Alec would want him to do. His boyfriend would want him to focus, to stay strong, and to find him. And that's what he was planning on doing. He was going to spend every waking moment he wasn't with Isabelle looking for Alec. Magnus promised Isabelle, which was only more of a reason to fight and find him.

But she just wasn't doing well at all. He tried spells, potions; not even taking her shopping would put a smile on her face at this point. The same clothes that she'd worn since the news, Simon's shorts and gamer t-shirts, covered her body every second of the day. Her hair was always up in a bun, like a brush hadn't gone through it in days. Normally, Magnus would have a heart attack and fix it straight away, but he couldn't even find the energy to try anymore. He was barely able to get out of bed sometimes.

If it wasn't for Michael, he'd be a goner by now. He would've lost his mind. Who knew that something Jace Herondale made could actually be useful when coping with loss, could be sentimental? The little nugget had been working morning, afternoon, and night for information on Jonathan and Lilith. Magnus had never seen someone with such a drive.

"I miss him, Magnus," Isabelle murmured. Magnus looked up, standing across from Isabelle's spot at the bar. "It's painful how much I miss him."

He stared for a bit before he realized that she was actually talking to him. Answering wasn't something he had to do around Izzy lately. But he had to now, and poured himself his own cup of tea. It's going to be a long night until Conan gets back. "I feel the same way. Losing Alec is the hardest thing I've ever had to go to."

Isabelle set her tea down, staring down at it. "How bad do you think they are? Luke, Simon, Alec, all of them? Do you think they're going to be okay?"

"I GOT IT!"

Magnus looked up as Isabelle turned in the stool, finding the three kids run through the kitchen door. Kadan, Karrie, and Michael stumbled through, dressed in plain, boring night clothes and looking excited. Michael was in the lead, running right for the counter with a book in his hand. He slammed it down, making Isabelle jump, but his smile never faltered. "I got it. I figured it out."

Magnus looked from the book, to Michael, to his two kids, and back to Michael. "I'll bite. Explain."

"We'd been trying to figure out how Jonathan and Lilith could've returned so quickly," Kadan said. He jumped up on the stool next to Isabelle as Karrie moved around the counter to stand next to Magnus. "Lilith's return was easy enough to deduce. Someone just summoned her, so she's back, but she's still weak. That explains why she would need Leviathan – if it's true they're working together."

"We have to wait for Conan to get back to be sure that's correct," Karrie said.

Michael nodded and pointed at the book. "So that's why we stopped focusing on Lilith for once, and focused on Jonathan. He's the real threat, the one that saw my sister and could've killed her."

"But he didn't," Karrie mentioned. "And we tried to figure out why."

After that, the teenagers suddenly stopped talking and looked at each other. Isabelle was staring at Karrie, looking extremely confused. Michael and Kadan were having their own separate, telepathic conversation and Magnus just grabbed the book across the counter, pulling it towards him.

His eyes gradually grew wider as he read across the highlighted words. His fingers scanned over the page, more out of awe than something that would actually help him understand. If this was true, if what Michael found was true, things just got a whole lot easier, and harder, at the same time.

"It's the only explanation," Michael said. Magnus looked up, meeting the boy's green and gold eyes. "I'm telling you, that it has to be true. My dad wouldn't have left any chance that Jonathon could've returned."

Magnus shut the book and pushed it back across the counter. "Have you told your father?"

The blonde boy shook his head as Karrie giggled next to Magnus, and he shot her a confused look. She looked up at him, blushing. "Uh, Dad, Mr. and Mrs. Herondale are kind of busy in the bedroom."

Typical. Magnus just rolled his eyes as Isabelle scoffed. "Figures," Isabelle said. "They're the only ones who can in this place."

Magnus knew that wasn't exactly true. He could think of one other person that actually had a chance at a love life in a time like this. But she'd been practically MIA for days as well. "Where's Emily?" he asked.

Michael shrugged as he pulled the book into his chest, looking down at it. "She wasn't in her room."

"And Chase?"

"Gone also," Kadan said.

Isabelle met Magnus's eyes as he looked down at her. It didn't take long for him to figure out exactly where those two teenagers were. He couldn't stop the smile spread across his face as the realization hit him.

"Look, there's no point in telling Jace and Clary yet anyway," Isabelle said. All eyes went to her in shock, considering she wanted to solve this tragic turn of events more than anyone else. She glanced around, shrugging and gripping her tea cup. "What I mean is, until Conan gets back with some kind of lead, information on Jonathan is going to be pointless. It's not like we can find him, exactly."

"She has a point," Kadan inquired. He reached for Magnus's long forgotten cup of tea, taking a sip.

Magnus sighed and nodded. "Either way, I know where Emily and Chase are, and I'll go talk to them about this. Emily at least needs to know, considering all the trauma she's going through because of Jonathan."

"How do you know where they are?" Isabelle asked as Magnus headed for the door.

He smiled as he opened it, looking back at his little family. Michael didn't seem to really care, reading the book again. His kids were smiling at him in a way that meant they knew something. And Isabelle, she was just completely curious.

"I'm a warlock," was all he said as he headed out the door.

"It's my father's pyxis. He got it from his grandfather when he turned eighteen."

Emily held the box in her hands, completely and utterly confused. She knew what a pyxis was, what it was for. Which is why it was strange that Chase had one, considering that she was touching it.

"The demon isn't in there anymore," he said to answer her unasked question. They were lying on the blanket as he stared at the sky. She was flipping the box over and over in her hands, staring at the angel that covered all six sides, including the top and bottom of it. It was the same on each side. The Angel Samael was sitting on a throne of some kind on each side, painted white where he was carved into the wood. He almost looked like pictures of the Greek God Hades from the movies that Simon watched.

"Why Samael?"

"He was a host of the heavens, according to my father," Chase answered. "He's also known as the Angel of Death in his Jewish role. My dad was always intrigued by death, the idea of it and what comes after. Samael was his favorite angel because of the Jewish culture."

"I bet Simon would love to hear about that," Emily murmured. Chase didn't speak, and she took a chance to glance over at him. She seemed to keep focusing on his elegant features every time she was close to him now. His high cheekbones, his touchable jawline, his lashes that covered his eyes in shadows from the moonlight – it was all perfect.

But he had tensed at the mention of Simon's name. Emily could feel it radiating off of him. Emily focused on his chest, where the runes were carved but it looked like it wasn't even moving. "Emily, there's something that I still haven't told you."

Emily set the box down, turning on her side. Her arm propped herself up so that she could look down at him. "Then tell me."

He didn't at first, but slowly he turned his head to face her, his eyes meeting hers in a rush of emotions. "That pyxis hadn't always been empty." His hand came up, and his fingers brushed Emily's cheek. She found herself leaning into him. "Emily, everything that has happened to my family, to yours, it's my fault."

"I don't believe that. Everyone had some part in this. If you ask me, its Valentine's fault."

She expected a laugh, maybe a smile, but he did neither. He just looked away from her, shaking his head. Her heart sank slightly. "But it is my fault. That pyxis contained Leviathan for over twenty-five years."

"What?" Emily jerked back, sitting up to come to whatever realization that she was supposed to figure out.

Chase nodded, grabbing the box and sitting up with her. "This box contained Leviathan until I was fourteen. He was weak when I accidently released him, but still fast. I only got a glimpse before he vanished. In fact, I had thought I imagined all of it, that he wasn't even real. But two weeks later, on Tower Bridge in England, he showed up again and killed my father. He wanted my whole family to suffer, so he took all three of us. When he realized who I was, that I was the one that set him free on accident, he gave me freedom at a very steep price.

"He told me that lesser demons came to him with news about Lilith. She wanted your parents, and there was a great reward if he helped in any way he could. He swore me to secrecy in exchange that my mother and sister lived, that he'd always let me know how they were doing. He made sure that I would be able to see them if I just did what he asked, but he didn't tell me that Lilith was involved at first. And I swear to you that I never knew about Jonathan either."

"I believe you," Emily whispered. And she really did. She couldn't say why, but she did. After years of fighting with Chase, arguing, breaking things and trying to hurt each other, she found herself trusting him more than anything. "Does anyone else know?"

Chase shook his head. "No one except for you, Lilith, and Leviathan even know that my mother and sister are alive. And if Leviathan finds out I told you, he'll stick a sword through my sister's heart after he rips my mother's head off, literally."

The description cause Emily's face to contort slightly, and was a little unnecessary. "So why me?"

"Why not you?"

Emily sighed. "Chase, this isn't a time for joking."

"You want to know the truth?" he said with a slight hint of anger. But after a deep breath, he was calm again. "The truth is that even though you've hated me my whole life, broken many bones in my body, kicked me in the balls on countless occasions, called me every name under the sun, I never felt the same. I never hated you."

"I find that hard to believe."

"But it's the truth," he insisted. He fell back on the blanket, eyes closed. He wasn't relaxed or calm anymore. In fact, he looked as tense as a pulled rubber band. "I know I acted like I hated you, but that's just it. I acted the whole time. Leviathan told me to make you hate me, to be a dick to you, a jerk, but that wasn't my true intentions." Emily glanced passed him when he opened his eyes. Suddenly, looking into his green orbs was harder than ever. "I did it for my mother and my sister. But now, now I don't know what to do."

It took a while to even comprehend the last few sentences he said, much less everything else. He had said earlier that he liked it when she was angry, but she figured that was just a joke on his part. Who would actually like it when someone's royally pissed off and breaking your bones? Emily's mind was racing, and her heart was suddenly pounding against her chest, trying to break out of her ribcage. When she looked down completely confused at Chase's face, her heart stopped altogether.

His eyes seemed to look through her, but he was no longer lying on the ground. While she was lost in her thoughts, Chase had managed to sit up, his eyes never leaning hers. He searched her face, his eyes landing on her lips in particular. Then, as if she was frozen in place, he leaned in and was kissing her.

She never thought about Chase as anything but an asshole, a jerk. Even if that was still all true, now he was a beautiful, soft, touchable jerk off who was an amazing kisser that also smelled like the ocean. His lips were flawless as they moved across hers in a perfect rhythm. His hand came up, caressing her cheek as he slowly pulled her down on top of him when he lied back down. Their lips never disconnected until they were pressed together in every way possible. Emily's mind turned to jelly when his lips trailed up her cheek, down to her neck. He pulled at the collar of her shirt, pulling it down past her neck. A noise that she had never made before escaped her lips when he sucked on her skin that connected her neck to her shoulder.

The realization of what was occurring suddenly popped into her head. Chase wanted to give her family to Leviathan, to Lilith and Jonathan, but if she was in his position, she'd do the same thing. She'd do anything to get her family back, so she couldn't exactly blame him. His situation was worse than anything she could imagine, and that only made her press herself even closer to him, to bring his lips back up to hers.

Her fingers traced his chest lightly as her lips trailed along his jaw line. Even when she was with Conan, the many times she was with Conan, she never felt like this. With him, it was routine almost, no feeling. She just wanted it to be satisfied and get it over with. But as Chase lifted her shirt, pulling it over her head to reveal her in nothing but a bra and shorts, she suddenly felt extremely nervous. Nervous wasn't something that happened to Emily, even in the worst of circumstances.

"Relax," Chase whispered against her lips when he kissed her again. She tried to. Her hands tangled in his hair as his tongue licked her bottom lip for entrance. But she denied, him pulling back. To her shock, he just laughed. It wasn't a simple chuckle, but a real laugh. The lips that she had been kissing turned up in the most beautiful smile she had ever seen and–

"You have a dimple?" She poked the dimple on his right cheek, making him laugh even more. Then she noticed the other one, on his left cheek. "Are you serious? How have I never known you have dimples?"

He shrugged, brushing a piece of hair out of her face. "This will sound so cheesy, but I'm saying it anyway. You can ask Magnus if you don't believe me but they only show themselves when I'm really smiling, seriously happy. And with you, like this, I'm happy."

"Now you have a cheesy side too?" Emily asked with humor. "Any other sides to you that I don't know about?"

He shrugged and flipped Emily over, hovering over her then. His hair fell down in his eyes as he propped himself up on his elbows, looking from one eye to another with a brilliant, bright smile on his face. But slowly, his smile faded as his finger made a path across her face. He started at her lips, down her jaw, to her chest where he more than likely felt her heart beating rapidly. "Emily, I have to know something."

She thought that she knew what he would ask, but didn't want to assume anything. But when he bit his lip in the most precious way possible, it was harder to form a coherent thought than it should've been. "Uh, sure."

"I know that I've faked everything, all the hate and anger. I did it because I had to, but I need to know– I, I don't..."

"Yes," Emily answered when he didn't continue. His head started to drop but she stopped him, keeping his eyes on hers. "That doesn't mean I still hate you. People change, right?"

"But Emily, I want to know that you're doing this for the right reasons." He was talking louder, like he was stressed suddenly. Emily couldn't exactly blame him. "I'm the guy that betrayed your family. Don't you think it's a little strange that we're now making out on the roof in a garden like its a romantic novel?"

Emily wanted to answer, to say something reassuring to him, but she never got the chance. The door to the greenhouse burst open, and they both turned their heads. Emily's heart stopped when she thought it was her dad, but relaxed when she saw Magnus. He was always a romantic, so at least he'd be lenient, probably laugh about this.

But when he stepped into the moonlight and she saw his face, she knew that he was feeling anything but lenient. His eyes were on Chase, and he wasn't happy.

Chase swallowed and slowly lifted his head from Emily, his eyes on Magnus. "Magnus, I–"

Magnus's hands were shining blue, like he was ready to fight. "Care to explain what betrayal you're talking about exactly? Because if it has to do with Alec you'll never make it off this roof before I kill you."

Uncle Magnus is more than angry.. Uh oh. Jonathan isn't real, or is he? That's the question. And something is seriously stirring between Emily and Chase. Will it last? Or will it fall out? You won't know unless you keep up with my updates :D Anyway, REVIEW! I LOVE OPINIONS SO TELL ME YOURS! Thanks to those who are reviewing constantly, it really does help with the writing and I love the ideas! Keep it up.