Cynthia didn't see Jonathan for two days after his little stunt of running away. As soon as they'd materialized, the maid had run for Valentine and he'd appeared not a minuet later with his face white in rage. He'd grabbed his son by the scruff of his neck and literally dragged him out of the room.

But now Jonathan was back, and Cynthia could tell from the way he avoided flexing his back muscles that he had some new lines etched there from that whip.

Cynthia wasn't called into her adopted father's office for three days, and when the maid came up and told her she'd been summoned, she felt her blood run cold. But on the other side, she was glad-

She was going to give him hell about Jace.

As the demon girl walked into the office, she clenched her teeth to stop herself from yelling straight off the mark. But no, she contained herself and seated her form before the wide oak desk. Cynthia ran her finger over the Morgenstern ring still upon her finger, then set Jonathan's that he'd stolen down before him.

"You found Jonathan much faster than I anticipated" was the first thing Valentine said as she sat in silence. He reached forwards and picked up the ring, sliding it onto his finger. As Cynthia went to take her own off to give back, he raised his hand and shook his head "You may keep it. Jonathan will have his own when I deem him responsible enough."

She nodded a little, saying nothing. It didn't go unnoticed as the man cocked a brow "What's on your mind?"

A pause and Cynthia laughed under her breath "Oh I don't know. Maybe the fact that the other Jonathan is alive and well in New York. And you neglected to tell me." Her eyes were burning with hatred and there was nothing but silence for a moment, then Cynthia growled out "Well say something then."

"It was for your own good."

"For my own good-? Who the fuck do you think you are?! You made me believe my best friend was dead-!"

Silence fell again and Cynthia had angry tears burning in her dark emerald eyes, glaring at the man as she rose to her feet, pushing the chair back so it landed with a clatter. "You are the only father I've ever had, or at least, can remember. How could you do that to me? Do you not care for me at all?"

Valentine had made no attempt to stop her raging, and as she finished, her chest heaving and tears running down her face, he finally spoke in a calm voice "While you were with him, you never would have been able to achieve your full potential like you have now. I had to split you from him."

"By making me think him dead?"

"You would have returned to him somehow if you knew he was alive."

That was true… but…

"You disgust me." Cynthia muttered, turning on her heels and walking straight out-

Fuck it all.

-LightInYourNightmare-

Cynthia froze as she walked into her bedroom to find Jonathan stood in there with his shirt in his hands, asking her the moment she walked in "Do something for my back would you?"

"Like what?" she asked, really not in the mood. Valentine's words were still ringing inside her head. Jonathan rolled his eyes and stepped forwards, raising his hands to skim up her own, gazing into her eyes "Are you stupid?"

Cynthia rolled her eyes, but crossed over to her wardrobe and pulled it open, grabbing the wide bandage that was at the bottom before telling Jonathan "Arms. Up." Silence, then he obeyed, raising them above his head. Cynthia stepped behind him, swallowing hard as she saw the ragged scars and smears of blood from where one had opened up. "Stay" she ordered, nipping into the bathroom and soaking a towel, returning and putting it to his back where he hissed from the cold and pain.

Cynthia dried his back off swiftly, tossing the bloodied towel aside and picking up the bandage, setting to work on wrapping the bandage tight but not too tight around his midriff.

"There you go" Cynthia told him quietly, patting his back gently. Jonathan lowered his arms and turned to face her, cocking his head a fraction as he flexed his back muscles "Is this the moment I say Thanks?"

"Yes. But don't bother, I know you."

He smirked at that, asking a second later "You kissed me. Why."

Cynthia shrugged and stepped over to her bed, flopping backwards onto it and closing her eyes. "It was just to get you off me. Don't fret, I don't love you."

"Good. You were a terrible kisser."

"Oh? You have experience?" Cynthia challenged, opening an eye to stare at the demon boy as he pulled his shirt back on. He snorted "You were my first kiss."

"You poor dear." She just laughed out mockingly, fluffing the pillow up under her head "See? No one likes you."

Cynthia noticed he was staring at her hand, or more specifically, the ring. He snorted quietly "Daddies little girl. Always huh?"

"No I'm not." She replied coldly and Jonathan chuckled, nodding "Just because you plan on sneaking out tonight to see lover boy?"

"He's not my lover boy. Bloody hell Jon."

"You love angel boy and you kiss me? Ha! Aren't you quite the indecisive one?"

Cynthia got to her feet and slapped him straight across the face before he could stop her, expression furious "I do not love Jace. And you? Urgh. God no."

There was a glint in his eyes that Cynthia didn't like, and he sniggered out "I'll tell Father that you're sneaking out tonight-"

"You bastard-!"

"Unless you kiss me again." He finished smugly and Cynthia froze, unable to take it in. "You want me to… kiss you again? Are you actually insane?"

"Nah. I just want to see how attached to angel boy you really are. Because believe me, I will check tonight, and all the nights afterwards to make sure you've not sneaked out. Come on, pucker up." He was full on smirking by now and Cynthia was disgusted. "I'm not kissing you."

"Well then, I think Father is about to have a nice little visit. Can you imagine his face when I tell him you know about angel boy being alive?"

She laughed now, placing a hand over her heart. "He knows that! And oh, guess what? Your leverage just went through the window." Cynthia's eyes went cold. "Get out. Now."

"Make me." Jonathan breathed, cocking his head a fraction, totally unperturbed by the change in dynamics. "Come on. Kiss me again and I won't go to Father and tell him that you'll sneak out."

"I don't make deals with demons."

"Strange, seeing as you are one also." He retorted, snagging Cynthia's wrists with a devilish smirk upon his face. He slid off the Morgenstern ring and slipped it into his pocket "Think I'll keep this safe for now, unless you change your mind."

"Oh for fucks sake. Kiss me then. If that's how you get your kicks."

"Careful Cynthy, your affection for me is showing. Not going soft are you?"

Cynthia clenched her jaw and twisted her fingers so that they once more were wrapped around his neck. He made no attempt to stop her. She growled and ended up letting him go, snapping out "Fine. Keep my ring then or whatever. It doesn't matter to me if I go back to New York or not. Yes, once upon a time I loved him, but now? We've changed too much. I don't want to fall in love with him at the moment. He doesn't know the truth, but I do."

"Is this going somewhere? Bored."

Cynthia made a disgusted sound, then turned away, snapping out "You better be gone by the time I turn around, or I'll break your nose. Mark my words."

She counted to ten, then turned. He was gone.

-LightInYourNightmare-

Cynthia sighed heavily as she leaned over the railing, staring into the steely water below. Why was everything so messed up?

"You've neglected to tell me your progress with Jonathan."

She didn't jolt from surprise as the man spoke up next to her. He seemed to have appeared from nowhere. Cynthia glanced around to her adoptive father and just told him "I kissed him."

Valentine paused at that, then asked in a leveled tone "His reaction?"

"I thought he was going to break my nose or something. Our situation and your plans, it's impossible. He is too suspicious for something like this."

He nodded "On this occasion Cynthia, I think you're right. You can abandon the whole idea."

"But now he keeps trying to get me to kiss him. He doesn't care for me, but yet he asks." There was something in her tone that made Valentine look down, the breeze from the chilly morning water ruffling his moonlight colored hair. He'd taken Cynthia out on his monster of a boat along the river, its glamour hiding it from mundane eyes. She was a calming presence to be in, nothing like his sons which resembled chaos.

"Your tone, it says everything."

Cynthia frowned "Excuse me?"

The elder man laughed lightly, saying under his breath "You forget Cynthia, that I was once a man in love."

"What are you insinuating?"

"That you have affections for my son."

Cynthia froze up, her eyes widening. But then she burst out laughing, shaking her head incessantly. "I do not love Jonathan."

"Oh but you have feelings for him when you're both not trying to kill the other."

She snorted "Shouldn't you be… preventing this or something? You did after all teach Jona- Jace that love was a weakness." There was silence and Valentine nodded a little, looking from the young woman to the steely waters of the river. "Jonathan's mother, Jocelyn. I loved her so very much. You can look at me with disbelief all you want Cynthia, but it's true. Even now, sometimes, I wish… she'd return to me."

Cynthia wondered just why he was telling her such things, which led her to asking quietly "Why are you telling me these things?"

"Because you, unlike Jonathan, can understand the loss of someone you love."

"Where is Jonathan's mother now?"

"Who knows? She stole the Mortal Cup from me and ran. But I'm not worried. Our paths will cross again in the future, that I'm sure of."

"Would you kiss her or kill her if you met again?"

His laugh was dark "That's enough talk on that subject."

Cynthia laughed too, tightening her hands around the railing, the coldness biting into her skin. "So why am I out here with you? Not for a pleasant chat on your ex wife I'm guessing?"

He sighed and closed his eyes lightly, telling her, "let me show you who you are. Who you were destined to be."

Cynthia said nothing to that. She didn't know what she could say.

Valentine glanced down and spied her finger minus its ring. "Where is your ring?" she looked down and muttered out "Jonathan stole it. Attempting to blackmail me on things you already know of."

"He's ruthless in getting what he wants, I'll give him that." Valentine noted in amusement, but then his tone sharpened. "He's not allowed that ring. Not yet."

Cynthia rolled her eyes "He's jealous isn't he?"

"Probably. It doesn't concern me, so it shouldn't concern you."

There was silence and Cynthia blurted out "I want to go and visit Jace again." There was stony silence in which she didn't dare look up at the figure next to her, knowing he would be furious. But then he said something that shocked her to the core

"Once a month. That is all."

Cynthia looked up at that, her eyes widening "You are… letting me-?"

"You are exceptionally bright and clever, Cynthia. I trust you. More than Jonathan. You are not reckless like him, and you understand the consequences. Also, I'm not stupid. If I said No, you would just use that ring and go to New York when you retire to bed."

Cynthia was frozen at that. How could he know so much? Or suspect it?

"Don't look so shocked Cynthia. It was obvious." Valentine told her crisply, stepping back from the railing. "There is just one condition. If you break it, you lose my trust forever."

"What condition?"

"You fall in love with Jonathan, you will never see him again."

Cynthia frowned lightly in confusement- did he mean his son? What the-? But then she understood. Jace. She wasn't allowed to fall for Jace.

"I don't intend to." She retorted hastily, causing Valentine to nod. "Excellent. Can't have you in love with two boys can we now?" he turned away and strolled back along the deck, leaving Cynthia almost frozen to the spot.

It scared her how much he knew. Or how much they thought alike.

Note: Yes, this is before Jace meets Clary. ^-^ reviews much loved thanks x