For the last chapter, I got review asking if Jordan and Magnus were both girls in Infect My Heart. Clarification: they are both boys. Thanks for correcting me on the typo!

Sebastian pushed open the doors of SAI, and breezed past the receptionist. She looked up at him, frowning, and reached out to stop him. He smiled, flashing her his MC pass, and she sat down again, absorbed in a novel.

He turned left and looked up at the signs directing him to the cafeteria. Jesus, he could never remember anything about SAI.

The cafeteria was crowded. He scanned the room. Clary was sitting with some sparkly dude and his friend, laughing while flicking crumbs at the boys. His feet itched to walk over to her; he still remembered their last date. She was something interesting.

He wondered where Jace was. To his left were some older, middle aged engineers, their hair thinning a bit on top, newspapers scattered over the table as they discussed the newest technological inventions. He didn't think they'd be very welcoming if he sat down and asked about their mysterious new earnings. He needed someone who would divulge the secret.

Sebastian caught the eye of a woman from across the room. His first thought was, ew, she's so old. And then he realized what an idiot he must have seemed like, just standing there in the doorway.

Digging out his wallet, he walked to the sweet section and bought a cookie. His eyes darted around and they landed on a girl wearing clothes that were barely work appropriate. She was sitting by herself.

Sebastian smiled. Perfect.

He walked over to her and sat down next to her. She jumped, looked up at him, and returned to texting her phone.

"Hey Aline," he said.

"Hey, Sebastian." She snapped her phone shut and smiled at him. "Didn't know you worked here."

He offered her some of his cookie. "Just visiting."

"Know where Jace could be?"

In the back of his head, Sebastian felt like rolling his eyes. Of course. Jace Wayland.

"Nope. I was just going to ask you that."

Aline shrugged. "I think Clary broke up with him or something." She gestured discreetly with her shoulder before leaning in close to whisper, "I was hoping you would know where he was, so I could, y'know, make a move or something." She winked. Then glanced at him. "Or you could do."

Sebastian tipped his head back, laughing silently. This was going perfectly. "Sweetheart," he said in his silkiest voice, and draped an arm around her shoulder.

Her phone buzzed. She snatched it, and flipped it open. Sebastian, arm still draped around her shoulder, watched as she opened the message.

Message Alert

Hell's Loose Meeting

In fifteen minutes

Hell's Loose?

His heart began pounding.

"What's that?" He asked, trying not to seem too interested.

Aline barely glanced at him as she exited the message. "Oh, you know. Just a meeting alert."

She got up and smiled. Sebastian thought she looked like black-haired Barbie.

"Bye," he called after her.

Score.

…

He could barely keep his feet still as he waited outside Valentine's office. When the door finally opened, he burst in.

"Hell's Loose."

Valentine raised both eyebrows. "Pardon?"
"The new product. I think it's called Hell's Loose."

The clicking of keyboard. Valentine frowned, and Sebastian's heart dropped a little. "Nothing comes up on Google. Maybe it's a produced not on the market yet?"

His eyes met Sebastian's over the computer screen. It was the first time Sebastian had ever seen him smile.

…

Clary twirled dejectedly in her chair, staring blankly at her computer screen. The words flashed before her, entering one ear and going out the other. Meaningless jabber.

She couldn't stop thinking about a certain annoying blond haired coworker and his empty chair before her, and where he could be. It was the third day in a row he'd spent lunch somewhere else.

A knock on the door. Clary jumped, her heart suddenly in her mouth, and scrambled out of her chair. As her hand settled on the doorknob, she remembered just in time that she was supposed to appear cold and unaffected. She smoothed down her red curls, and opened the door slowly.

Jordan stood outside, the corner of his mouth a half crooked smile. "Hey."

Clary had to put effort into smiling. "Hey, Jordan."

He stepped into her office, nodding slowly. "Damn," he sighed in awe. "This office…" His eyes narrowed at her. "And here I'm stuck in a small, three-foot box all day."

She stuck her tongue at him. "Sucker."

Jordan eyed the empty chair, and then the clock, which read 3:14 PM. "And the handsome coworker is…?"

Clary's face scrunched up despite her will not to. Luckily, Jordan wasn't looking at her. "He's always gone," she said dismissively. "Have a seat."

He eagerly threw himself onto the comfy, leather chair and petted the arm admiringly. "That lucky bastard. I bet he doesn't even do half the work."

"He doesn't do any of it." Clary ran her fingers along the edge of the desk and bit her lip. She really needed to talk to someone, but there was no one to talk to. Simon was out of the picture. They'd barely talked since the Christmas party, and going to him now to talk about Jace would be extremely awkward. Isabelle, she didn't even want to think about. Even as best friends, she could imagine Isabelle's face as she said, I told you so. No, she really didn't need to hear those words at the moment. Alec…

Was busy with Magnus. Which left no one, really.

"Jordan," she sighed. "Have you ever felt like your life was just one big joke?"

"Dude, all the time." He looked up at her and grew solemn. "What's bothering you?"

"Everything. My work, my friends, this job, the new products…Jace," she couldn't stop the last word from pouring out. "It's just – one second, I'm as happy as can be, and then the next, everything falls apart. I had a perfect job, a perfect life before this. I was happy. And then, Jace came into it all, and I grew even happier. Gosh, it's just seemed like the perfect fairy tale. He kissed me, and I fell under his spell. I couldn't believe it was happening to me. I thought it'd actually last this time around. And he saved me from something I'm not allowed to talk about, and –" Clary ran a hand over her face. "And I messed up. I'm on a downhill spiral and I can't get out. I yelled at him when really all I wanted was to hug him and thank him for saving my life. We had a big fight, and I stormed out. I know I shouldn't have done it, and I want to apologize, but…"

Jordan's eyes hardened. "But he's with Kaelie."

"Yeah," Clary whispered. "When I came to work, he was kissing Kaelie in here."

"In here?" Jordan jumped off of the seat like he was disgusted to be sitting right where Jace and Kaelie had once been.

"I've got so much pride, Jordan. I wish I could swallow it down and just make up already, but I can't. Everytime I see him, I remember his face before I left, and the words just can't leave my mouth. Instead all that comes out are mean, nasty stuff. And the thing is, I'm not even sure if he wants me anymore. With Kaelie and all that."

"God damn him," Jordan snarled, shaking his head. "Moving on in record time."

"What's he doing here?"

Both of their heads snapped up. Jace stood in the doorway, looking just as surprised as they were. Clary's heart pounded. Had he heard?

"Jace," Clary said evenly. The taste of his name felt weird in her mouth. "What are you doing here?"

He regarded her with cool, golden eyes. "This is my office. I have a right to be here, whereas he…" He jerked his chin at Jordan, who was standing stiffly beside Clary.

"Where were you?"

Jace's jaw tightened, and she knew he hadn't been expecting that question. "Out." He walked closer until he stood face to face with Jordan. Up close, Clary saw the bluish bags under his eyes, and the hard lines around his mouth. "I need to work. Now."

"No problem asshole." Jordan brushed by Jace without even sparing a glance, bumping his shoulder roughly as he passed. "If you need any help learning how to, I'm available anytime. Later, Clary."

Jace took a step forward. "You – "

The door slammed.

He turned back to Clary, and their eyes locked. No one spoke for a long time.

Just two words. Just two little words.

"What were you guys doing?" Without breaking eye contact, Jace sat down where Jordan had just been mere seconds ago.

I'm sorry.

"It's none of your business."

I know it's been waaaay too long, but there were so many tests and FINALS):

Still, review…please?