Disclaimer:

Rapist: Say it *holds up knife threateningly*

Me: No *tries not to look scared*

Rapist: Say it or else I will do to you what I didn't do to Clary.

Me: *terrified and hides behind empty tote (school is almost over!)* I DO NOT OWN THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS!

Rapist: Gotcha.

Me: Yeah, well, I own you. Suck on that.

Rapist: Little…

Hey! Thanks to all those who added my story to favorites and/or to story alert. Also, to those who added me as favorite author! You guys are the best and as always, make my day. Especially , you just made my day :D

And sorry about the long wait and one of my shorter chapters. I PROMISE the next one will be longer :D

Chapter 19: Back to December

Jace's Point of View

I rushed to towards Clary, knowing that even if I'm a heartbeat too late it was all over. When I was nearing Clary but still pretty far away, I could just make out her stabbing the man with a seraph blade and a dagger in the stomach. I winced, that had to hurt.

All sympathy I had for him was gone when I saw him just lift her up with ease, as if she weighed only five pounds and threw her on the brick wall. After seeing that, I just ran like a mad man. Hell, I probably was a mad man. If that bitch was going to die before, he was going to get it much worse now.

"Clary?" I rushed to Clary first, praying that she was okay. She started falling and I caught her, holding her up. Her eyes were almost already closed, and I could just see a hint of green before it disappeared. Shit…this was not good. Not good at all, I thought.

I quickly glanced at the asshole who thought that messing with Clary was a good idea. It looked like it was already too late for him – he looked like he was going to be drained of blood soon from the way the blood was gushing out of his stomach and his legs. I got to admit, Clary did a hell of a job protecting herself.

I scooped up Clary bridal style and hesitated. To Luke's or to the Institute? Institute, I decided. I ran all the way there, covering it in even less amount of time then it took me to get there. I tried not to think about the sparks that flew from where my skin touched hers and how my stomach was flip flopping from being so close to her after all this time. But now was not the time to think about it. Yet I couldn't stop thinking about the warm, pulsing body that I was carrying.

I shook my head and once inside, I called out breathlessly, "Alec, Magnus! I need you, something's wrong with Clary!"

Alec and Magnus came out first, looking a bit irritated. "What's wrong with sleeping beauty this time?" Magnus asked. I couldn't help but to notice that his outfit as sparkly as ever. Correction, all of him was as sparkly as ever.

"That's the problem; I think she has a concussion."

"And may I ask how this happen?" Magnus was looking at me weirdly. Whoa, wait, he didn't think that I did this to her?

"Yes, enlighten us Jace," Aden coolly said, coming out from his room. "I can carry her now," Aden informed as he took Clary from me. Just as Aden ripped Clary away from me, my heart ripped too. What if something happened to Clary? After I realized that everyone was looking at me, Izzy and Selena came too although Sel looked a bit irritated at me. Then I realized that they were waiting.

"Clary called me – I don't know how – and this guy was threatening her and I ran to where the transportation was, looking for her. When I went there, there was a guy already throwing her at the wall. It was a mundie for sure. Rapist, I think. I heard him saying some stuff that made him sound one on the phone. And now look at Clary." I gestured to her, blood caking the side of her head and hair.

"So you're telling me that you just came in time to see this so called rapist throw her into a wall but not able to save her?"

I made an impatient noise. "She was more than halfway down the street when I saw her. I was at the top of the street. Are you going to argue with me about what I saw and let Clary here bleed to death?"

Aden looked like he was about to snap a retort at me but thought better of it. Probably because of Clary. I didn't like him anymore, not that I was very fond of him in the first place. It was like he wanted Clary to hate me.

As Magnus lead Aden to the infirmary, it dawned to me. He set me up. The fighting, he knew that Clary was going to blame it on me. Even though Clary and I haven't outright fought in front of them, he still knew that I did something bad to her.

Looks like he isn't Mr. Perfect after all, especially for Clary; he was far from it. If he honestly thought that making Clary angrier at me will make her closer to him, he was wrong. Just so we wouldn't be anything more than friends? Wow, can't bear a bit a competition? Or was he scared, or deep down knew that Clary might be mine again? That thought made my heart thud loudly. Knowing Clary, she wasn't going to let me back in her life easily.

I went to the infirmary, hoping that Clary was already magically healed. The door opened under my fingertips and Magnus was working around Clary, blue sparks flying everywhere and making Magnus look more glittery than ever, his sparkles shining. Aden was watching warily, biting his thumb, and the other arm was crossed in front of his chest.

Aden suddenly looked up at me. "What are you doing here?" he asked harshly.

"To see how Clary's doing," I replied in a duh type of voice. He was really annoying me, like a fly buzzing around my ear. I felt like chucking him off a building. Yeah, that would be nice.

"Go away," he nearly snarled at me.

"No, I'm her friend; I have every right to be here."

" No," he growled at me, "you don't."

"Oh really? Because after all, I am the one who saved her."

"And I didn't even see you run after me even though you knew something was wrong," I added after seeing Aden open his mouth to protest. After that, he started gaping like a fish on land, opening and closing his mouth, no words coming out before shutting his mouth close all together.

He just settled to glare at me before Magnus snapped. "Both of you girls shut up!" Clary made a gagging sound, as if she was trying to laugh and it came out all wrong.

I guess she was conscious enough for that.

A few minutes later, Magnus pulled up a chair and sat down tiredly in it. "How is Cl –" I started to ask.

"She's fine. I put her to sleep so she doesn't have to feel the pain as much and she'll be fine by the next day. Now, tell me again Jace, who did this?"

"This mundie, and he was jacked. Speaking of which the last time I saw him was lying on the floor bleeding…"

"You what?" Magnus blew up. "How could you just leave him there after stabbing him?"

"First of all, I didn't stab it. That was Clary. I was going to tell Alec to go and get the body."

"I'll tell him," Magnus snapped, but there was a soft look in his eyes. Anything to spend time with his 'Alliekinz'.

Aden and I just sat there for a minute, awkwardly and not saying anything. I heard some mumbling. "What was that?" I asked, smirking.

"I said thanks," Aden repeated, a tad louder but now he just sounded aggravated at me.

"Oh, you're welcome but I didn't do it for you." More than you could ever know. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"You know," he paused. "I know that." Did he? Yes, he knew more that before I even knew it, I could see that clearly now. I didn't truly understand how much of an idiot I was. If Clary wanted me, despite how wrong and imperfect I was for her, who was I to stay away from her, especially if I wanted to be with her. I was so stupid, it could be laughable.

I didn't say anything, just sat there in my chair, arms on knees, hands clasped together.

*flashback*

"Oh no you don't," I laughed, grabbing Clary at the waist. "You're staying right here with me."

"Jace, I have to go now," Clary insisted, forever stubborn. She started to push her way off the bed again. I turned her around gently, both of us plopped down on my bed.

I put my hands on her shoulders, clearly saying: stay. I fit my head in the crook of her neck. "Do you want to leave now?"

Clary didn't answer, just shivered. I smiled. I peppered butterfly kisses up her neck. "Or now?" I asked. Clary still didn't say anything, just gasped slightly.

I went all the way up before nibbling slightly on her ear. "Or now?" I pulled back, looking at her face. Her eyes were closed. After a moment, she opened them, grassy green eyes looking at me.

"I really do have to go." Clary paused. "Even if I do want to stay." I smiled, sure that it was looking a bit smug. She started getting up once again.

I fit my finger in the belt loop of her jeans, tugging her back on the bed. "Then stay," I whispered.

Clary leaned in, giving me a quick peck on the lips before straightening up again. I made a noise of protest. "'Thou must leave me so unsatisfied?'" I quoted at her.

Clary stopped at the door, hand frozen on the doorknob. She turned her head back a bit. "Yes," she smiled before hopping off.

*end flashback*

Those were good times, before I even started thinking about being all wrong for her, not being good enough for her. I still wasn't, but if she still wanted me, which I doubted now, then I would be there for her. How I wish I could go back in time during that winter.

We would have never meet Aden, we still would have been together and everything would be perfect. Good things don't last, rang in the back of my head. Never had truer words have been spoken, or rather thought.

But how could I not wish to go back to last winter?

Sighing, I got up. Obviously Aden wasn't going to leave and currently I wasn't her boyfriend. Hopefully that would change soon, even if it was going to be hard.

I stood and went up to her, brushing a few stray red curls out of her face. I could feel Aden's gaze boring a hole in my back but I ignored it. My hand moved to cup her cheek briefly before drawing my hand away. I walked away after that, my heart in my mouth.

Even if Aden was stupid and idiotic, he still had one thing that I didn't.

Clary.

And that's the one thing I wanted the most.

Alec's Point of View

"Allie!" a voice came from outside my door, before bursting in. I smiled – we were going back to where we were before the interruption.

"Hey Maggie," I smiled, gesturing with my hands to come on the bed. Even if I didn't call him that in front of others, I still had a nickname for him. It started out as revenge for 'alliekinz', but Magnus actually liked it.

He shook his head, knowing what I was thinking. "Sorry sweetie, next time. Jace wants you to go bring the mundie that hurt Clary back here. He left him there and we have to get him before someone sees him."

I sighed but I knew my duties had to come first. "Okay, I'll do it." I got off the bed and gave Magnus a quick peck on the cheek before turning to leave.

"I'll be at my place," Magnus called out behind me. I just nodded, sure he would see as I slipped out the door although, I probably can't visit tonight. Mom could kill me if I spent the night there again. Or even came home late.

Sighing, I picked up a steady jog to the transpiration area. When I finally got there, I rubbed my eyes.

And again.

And again.

There was no body. No dark heap crumpled on the floor. No one was there. I walked slowly to where there were darker spots on the floor. Fear had an icy grip on me. It was quite. Too quite.

I glanced behind me quickly, making sure no one was there. You're just being paranoid, I told myself. I made myself calm, like how I always do. Crouching down to the ground, I saw what the dark spots were.

Blood.

A lot of it.

It was inhumanly impossible for someone to lose that much and still be able to crawl, much less walk away from here. There would have been blood dotting the area even if the guy dragged himself somewhere.

And Clary didn't lose any blood except on her head so it was all definitely his. I felt the cold grip of fear on me again. With a shiver going down my back, I swept my eyes around the whole area, looking for anything out of place.

Nothing.

Sighing and a bit shaken, I walked home, crossing my arms and rubbing them to keep warm from the sudden chill, wishing I brought a jacket.

I entered the Institute, taking a deep breath before everyone was going to ask me a million and one questions and if I was sure.

"Jace!" I called out. Might as well get this over with, after all, Jace was the one that wanted me to do it.

Jace jogged over to me from his room. "Yeah?" Wasn't he suppose to ask me what happened to the guy, that was what he normally did, going straight to the point.

"You sent me to get the guy," I spoke slowly.

"Oh yeah, forgot, sorry. Where is he?" Jace glanced around me, as if I was hiding him or something. "In the infirmary?" he guessed after not seeing him with me.

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"No as in he's not here."

Jace's Point of View

"What?" I thundered. How was this possible. What the hell?

Truthfully, I forgot about the man, thinking of a way to tell Selena and Clary what I wanted. And now I was just told that he wasn't here. I didn't even get to make him pay yet.

"He's not here," he repeated in the calm voice of his but I could tell that he was nervous.

"So when you got there, he just wasn't there?" I asked. This was….weird.

"That's what I'm saying," Alec told me, sounding like a robot.

"Nothing was left behind by him?"

"Well, if there was, don't you think I would tell you?" Alec asked. He wasn't angry when he said it; he just said it like he was asking for the time or what the weather was like.

"Just making sure," I paused. "Was there blood left?"

"Yes," he grimaced, "a lot of it. I don't understand how he could even be conscious, let alone run away from the crime scene.

I took an audible deep breath, digesting what I just heard. "Was there a trail of his blood then?" I asked, trying to get every bit of information out of him.

"No. Nothing at all. Nothing to show that he dragged himself, walked or ran. It was just like he disappeared," Alec reported.

"Do you think he was a demon?" That would seem like a pretty logical answer. But then why didn't he disappear when I was there?

"No, the blood was red."

"What the hell?" I couldn't take this anymore. Everything about this rapist was just so fucking confusing.

Aden's Point of View

After Jace left – I had a hard time not kicking him out of here – pulled up a chair beside Clary. I held her hand, murmuring that she was going to be okay. I stayed there for who knows how long. It could have been fifteen minutes or an hour.

Her eyes weren't peacefully shut anymore; she was squeezing them shut as if she was scared. "Jace," she whimpered. I felt myself stiffening. Jace? Not me but him? "Help me," she cried hoarsely.

Oh, I thought when realization slapped me in the face before relief washed through me. She was just dreaming or remembering what happened before while Jace was there. That was all. Or that's what I was trying to convince myself.

I switched my thoughts to something else. It was still about Clary but man did she look scared.

I squeezed her hand gently. "I'm here babe," I whispered. "I'm here."

Selena's Point of View

I was plopped down on my bed, reading a magazine. Everyone was so worried over Clary, and I wanted to check on her myself but knowing Aden he would just shoo me away.

I crossed my legs in the air again while flipping the page. However, I just couldn't concentrate on it. The whole dinner thing was bugging me; every time I tried to not think about it, it came back, stronger than before.

*start flashback*

The dinner was romantic – something I didn't expect from Jace. He didn't seem like the romantic type. More like the I'm-so-badass-I-don't-have-to-do-that kind of guy.

It was cute that he was doing it for me, but like all guys, there had to be a reason why. Our one month anniversary wasn't for another two days. Maybe it was an early anniversary dinner?

Questions like that racked my brain. It was so sweet of him though. There was a candle and everything. I sat down, happy. "Jace, this is so romantic! Oh did you do it by yourself? This is just so great! Aw, babe, this is so sweet!" I wanted him to know that I really appreciated this; he looked like he put a lot of effort into it. He didn't even get his sister to cook the food, thank the Angel for that.

"Sel, I want to tell you somethi–" Jace started, cut off by his cell phone ringing. Was he going to say I love you, to make it all special or break up with me? Which one was it? My head pounded with the two questions bouncing around in my head.

One was good, and the other one was bad. But which was it?

He held out a finger to me, telling me that this was only going to take a few moments. Jace frowned and picked up the phone after looking at caller ID. Who could make him frown like that? I looked at him, wondering why he wasn't picking up.

"Hello?" Jace finally said into the phone, picking up. Jace waited for a response for a minute. A strange look shadowed his face but he still stayed on the phone. What the hell?

Then I could hear a little noise, finally. Sounded like the person – it sounded like a girl – was screaming. After that, Jace just ran out of the room and I discreetly followed him.

"Where's Clary?" he growled at Aden.

"Why?" Aden asked guardedly. I rolled my eyes; he was still so overprotective of her. Whatever happened between them wasn't our business and he couldn't keep Clary away from him.

"I need to know. It's important," Jace asked, begging slightly laced into his words. So it was Clary who called...

What happened to her?

"She started walking home a couple of minutes ago. Why?" Aden asked after telling him. Always demanding, that one.

Jace just flew out the room. Aden gave me a look, as if asking me what was his problem and I shrugged.

*end flashback*

So Clary had called him and he was worried, I got that. But what was he about to say to me? This was killing me, not knowing.

And right now, Jace was probably worrying more about Clary than probably thinking about me. What did this say?

Maybe it was time to let go.

Hey guys! I'm SO sorry about the late update. Like really sorry. I had a lot going on my life. One of my other great aunt's died the other day. Two in three weeks is a killer. Hence, I wasn't in the mood to really write and that's why it's so late. So sorry! And when I did feel better enough to write, I was insanely busy (like out the whole day) My deepest apologizes!

But I did get in my new story called Just a Dream (yes, I did name it after the song by Nelly, I love that song and it fit in perfectly) It's an actual story, but it's going to be short. Check it out! It's Clace :D Secret word: sorry, because really I am.

Also, thanks for going over the goal by 11! For that, I am SO happy and made my kinda sad week better! And I think I'm going to make a song fic as a thanks and make that JPOV to my one-shot I Love You. And the new goal: 149? Por favor? Love you guys! You are all super kind :D