I love writing the MI crew like this. I live my life through fiction half the time. Apologies for any grammar errors; this is my outlet away from uni assessment therefore I disregard the stuff most of the time when I do the first write up and then edit at 11pm at night.

Okay I'm a terrible person and didn't put a disclaimer on this. My apologies Ms. Clare. The Mortal Instruments and all affiliated themes and objects belong to Cassandra Clare everyone.

Regardless this chapter is to the three followers who can now say they've been there from the start. You guys are my heroes for accepting the challenge to wait for updates! Kisses!

Sender: Izzy
(11:46AM) Seriously Clary, you need to get home ASAP! The guy installing our dishwasher is simply divine.

I rolled my eyes at Izzy's text as I pulled off my apron and slung it over my shoulder. Working the morning shift at Java Jones was never entertaining in the least yet Izzy had been graced with watching the muscles haul our new furniture up the stairs and set up the appliances, proving that tradies did in fact get the ladies. I waved to Simon who had replaced me at the counter and he gave me an over-the-top grin back.

I met Simon Lewis in our first year of University during a compulsory course that all creative study students had to undertake, more affectionately known as 'Death by PowerPoint'. Even though he was studying literature or something (I forget more often than not), we found ourselves bonding over the hatred for our dull lecturer and need for coffee to get through the dreary coursework. From then on he had become one of my closest friends apart from Isabelle and Maia. I had even got him the job here at Java Jones, even though they were hiring at the time. Regardless, he was fun to work with and taught me the best techniques on tea towel whipping people.

"See you on Monday for lunch after your class?" I said, walking backwards toward the door. Simon nodded, the grin still plastered on his face.

"You bet Fray. My shout this week," he said, acknowledging our tradition of paying the bill alternately each week for lunch.

"Awesome! I'll catch you then!" I said, over my shoulder as I walked out the door, the bells connected to the door tinkling as the door drifted to a close behind me.

The sun was a cruel mistress today, the heat catching on my black shirt and skirt that I had worn to work today. As long as it was black, it was an accepted uniform however with summer on its way, it wasn't accepted outside the workplace. I managed to make it to the subway without melting into a puddle of sweat and slouched into the corner of the one of next set of cars that came along, avoiding the usual crowd of weirdos that flourished in New York.

I sent Iz a quick text, asking on a scale of 1 to 10 how cute his butt looked and that I was on my way home quick smart. I smiled at the thought of her cocking her head, studying some stranger's arse just to tell me. Isabelle was a very, uh, literal person. You doubt her ability to do something or give her a dare and she'll most likely do it.

After getting off the subway, I pushed myself through the lunchtime crowd on the streets headed home to the apartment, stopping in at an empty sushi shop and grabbing Iz and I lunch on the way. When I finally reached our building door, I pulled out my keys from the old satchel I had had since high school and shoved the key into the lock. As if the hot walk home wasn't enough, I still had the stairs to face. More often than not, I figured that if I ever got drunk in the near future and stumbled home, I'd just pass out at the bottom of the stairwell instead of tackling the beast while intoxicated. Seemed logical knowing my clumsy self.

When I finally reached our fourth floor apartment, I shoved my key into the lock and opened the heavy wooden door only to find a pile of new boxes inside and Izzy clearly having way to much fun by herself. How introvert.

"Uh Iz...what's- what are you doing in the middle of the boxes?!" I asked warily, shutting the door behind me and looking at my best friend. Isabelle had created a sort of blockade of furniture boxes around her, complete with an endearing sign stating 'No Boys Allowed'. The fortress came to about waist-high on her near 6 foot figure but what struck me more odd was that she had set up a mini bar on top of it, pouring tea into two tea cups instead unlike the usual bar mojo.

"Tea and sushi?" She motioned for me to come into the fortress, pushing a large box outward to allow me entrance. I dropped my satchel by the door, slipped out of my boots and made my way over into the castle of boxes. Iz had made herself a small home in here: a picnic blanket on the ground, an iPod dock and kettle plugged into an extension cord that led out, and a stack of Vogue magazines and Looking for Alaska sitting nicely on top in one corner. She passed me my tea and I lay the packet of sushi between us, pulling out two sets of chopsticks from my back pocket. We both sat down and without a word, tucked into our food.

"So what brought this on," I said around a mouthful of a California roll, gesturing to the wall of boxes. She shrugged, her styled hair bouncing off her shoulders.

"Camping out made me think of the times where I'd make sheet forts with my older brother when we were younger so when the majority of our lovely boxed furniture arrived, I had nothing better to do. Also, at least we have a cool place to sleep until we get our beds set up," Izzy said. She took a sip of tea and cocked her head to one side. "Also that reminds me, how the hell are we going to put all this together?!"

I laughed. "I agree, this is a lot more than I thought we'd have to put together. Maybe we should call for back up?" I suggested, immediately thinking of Simon. He'd take any chance to swoon after Isabelle; he had been infatuated with her ever since I had introduced the two of them at some party back in first year and he still didn't have the guts to ask her on a date despite the fact it had been almost three years now.

Izzy nodded. "I can call up my brother and see what he's are up to? Maia is working the afternoon shift but I'll text her and see if she wants to pop around afterward as well."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll do the same with Simon. You know what, I like this fort. It was a pretty adorable idea Iz," I said and then draining my cup of tea in one gulp.

She smiled. "I thought so too. It's nice to be childish every now and again."

After we finish our lunch, Izzy goes off to call her brother about coming over to help put our flatpacks together. I look through the inventory to be made: two beds, a table and chairs, 1 desk (I had had mine moved from my house thanks to my step-father Luke and his truck), a tv unit, a set of bedside drawers and 2 bookcases. Anything else I needed I was going to buy already built probably from the second-hand store but that was the sort of stuff I liked. They had character and a story behind them and I loved that.

I pulled out my phone from my satchel and sent Simon a quick message about helping and then went upstairs to change. I was still yet to unpack my own wardrobe so I was left to rummage through some boxes just to find a pair of cotton shorts and a shirt that accented my minimal curves. Not that I had anyone to impress this afternoon, I just needed a little feel-good about my figure; Isabelle's brother, however gorgeous and lovely to me, was off-limits in more than one way.

I had packed away most of my clothes into the wardrobe and had just started on my underwear draw when I heard my door open.

"Hey Iz, did you hear anything back from Alec?" I said without looking up. She'd seen this stuff before, hell, she had even bought some pieces for me.

"She did, but I don't think he'd be interested in your red lace cheekies," said a voice that was way too masculine to be Isabelle. In fact, I knew it well and it was generally accompanied by freakishly good looks and sarcasm out the whazoo.

I froze, my cheeks flushing. Oh God, why him? I threw the more intimate underwear I owned back in the box and crawled to my feet, my hands taking their natural place at my hips and my frown-lines emerged as they usually did when we were in the same room.

"What do you want, Herondale?" I said, narrowing my eyes.

The boy who stood at 6"2 in low-rise jeans and a white shirt, taking up most of doorway, raised an eyebrow. "You're the one who needs our muscle power to set up your furniture because you women aren't capable, Red."

I scowled and made note to complain about our lack of forward thought to Izzy about who her brother Alec invited along to help. I pushed around the good-looking blonde in my doorway, muttering about assholes and sarcastic douche bags under my breath as I went.

I heard a chuckle from him as I passed. "Geez, Carrottop. Anybody would think I was a nice person or something the way you compliment me all the time." I ignored him and continued to stalk down the stairs.

Everyone, meet Jace Herondale, the supplier of endless derogatory nicknames, sarcasm and the reason most men turned gay. Well, I wasn't too sure on the last one, but Jace was perfect too perfect. He was perfectly proportionate with plenty of toned muscles, blonde surfer hair and golden tan to go around. Oh, and his cheekbones? UNF! But that was the only thing I found attractive about him and it was in an art sense.

Jace was an asshole through and through and unfortunately because he was Alec's best friend, I had to put up with him often at many of the Lightwood's functions and at other times and places over the years. He was conceited, played his women like a harp and was so self-absorbed; I hated the guy.

I cornered Izzy in the kitchen where she was making up a jug of ice tea.

"Clary-" she started, knowing what I was going to say but I cut her off.

"What the hell is he doing here?! You know I can't put up with the guy for more than ten minutes without an argument spontaneously combusting in the room!" I said, exasperated. Izzy just sighed and hugged me, stroking my back.

"I'm sorry, but Alec brought him and Jordan along to help out and we really do need it, Clare," she said, calmly, "Think you can deal with him for just one afternoon?"

I sighed. He was just so...arrogant it made me fume just thinking about it.

"Fine," I muttered, taking the jug off her hands none too gently and following her into the lounge room, "But I'm not playing the 1920's housewife and hanging off his every wish."

"No one said you had to, Clary," Isabelle said, plonking her self down next to her brother on the couch my mother had given us, putting a stack of plastic cups on top of a box playing coffee table. Alec Lightwood gave me a grin and got up to hug me. Unlike Jace, Alec was one of the nicest people after you had warmed up to him. He was two years older than Izzy and I and had always looked out for me despite the fact I wasn't family; Alec had become a big brother to me regardless over the years.

"Hey Alec, how's the masters degree going? How's Magnus?" I asked, after he pulled back from the embrace.

"Uni is good, still going great in Psychology and Magnus is fine. He's been looking for a new cat lately. I think Chairman Meow is about to retire," Alec said, taking a cup and pouring his fill of ice tea into it. His black hair just fell into his bright blue eyes and sat back in on the lounge; he was dressed in black jeans and a grey sweater which made me wish that I had dress sense like him. He just looked so casually fabulous all the time. Possibly because of his boyfriend's influence but anyway.

Oh yeah, the reason Alec was unavailable? He was unavailable to women in general.

"I'd tell your Mum to watch Church then, Alec. Magnus loves her cat more than his leather corset," Jace said from where he was leaning up against the wall beside a tall, lanky boy with brown hair and a smirk across his face. He had more down to Earth good looks unlike Jace and he had tattoos banded around both sets of biceps.

"Jordan, this is Clarissa Fray; Clary, Jordan Kyle," Alec said, motioning to both of us. I shook Jordan's hand, receiving a warm smile in return.

"So how did you wind up meeting Alec and his witted best-friend?" I asked, as I offered passed him a cup of ice tea.

"Rent ad. They had a spare room that I was more than happy to fill," Jordan said then taking a sip of his drink, "What is this? 1% cordial?!"

Isabelle raised an eyebrow and folded one leg over the other, cup in hand. "Ice tea; don't be an animal and drink it. It's classy and good for you."

Jordan just kind of stared at her as she raised the her cup calmly and took a sip. He looked kind of constipated actually.

"You don't insult her drinks otherwise she'll feed you and we don't need a dead body in our new apartment," I muttered under my breath.

"Clary is right. Remember that time Isabelle made lunch for us and I couldn't get out of bed for the next week?" Jace said crossing his arms, his head rolled to the side against the wall to look at us.

"Remember that time you also said you'd help us put our furniture together? Me too," Isabelle said, pulling her pocket knife from her smock-like top's pocket. She flicked it open and sliced open the first box. 'Let's do this!"

Also I was bored while waiting for my connecting train to the Coast the other day and planned out pretty much the whole story. It's not gonna be all love and fluff the entire way, I assure.

Ciao, ma petit choux!

Bowvs. xx