hello! i'm back! sorry it's taken soooo long to post this one, i've not forgotten :) this story is still on-going! i just had a lot of stuff going on with school that got in the way of writing but despite everything else not being able to sleep brings to an advantage it enables me to write without being disturbed. lol. so here i grant to thee my wonderful readders. chapter 17! :D this chapter has some Simon & Isabelle time in it, so i hope all who want more scenes of Simon and Izzy enjoy it! :)

Tell me what you think, i love getting reviews, and PMs! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all those who have PMed me and written reviews! i love you guys and hope you contiune to enjoy this story!

As always, TMI and characters belong to Cassandra Clare and the poem in the beginning belongs to the rightful owners with his/her name at the bottom. :)

Like the touch of rain she was
On a man's flesh and hair and eyes
When the
joy of walking thus
Has taken him by surprise:

With the love of the
storm he burns,
He sings, he laughs, well I know how,
But forgets when he
returns
As I shall not forget her 'Go now'.

Those two words shut a
door
Between me and the blessed rain
That was never shut before
And
will not open again.

'Like A Touch of Rain'

by

Edward Thomas

The rain fell all around Simon as he walked on behind Isabelle who wasn't too far ahead, and Simon was in no rush to catch up to her, he knew after all they had learned, she'd likely want some alone time to catch up in her own thoughts, and he to be truthful, didn't blame her for wanting that.

Letting out a breath out of habit, Simon stuffed his hands deep in his pockets as he noticed the puzzled glances he was getting from the people who were passing by him.

Simon ignored their looks, only beginning to guess what they saw when they looked at him, and he didn't think he wanted to know, from his ripped soaked jeans, to his soaked to the bone shirt and hoodie slashed opened.

Pulling his dripping hood farther over his eyes, Simon pushed on, his sneakers making a swishing noise each time he picked up his foot to move forward.

The thunder rumbled around him once more, as he walked on, he wasn't sure how long it would take them to get back to the apartment walking, but he knew that without catching up to Isabelle first be no way he would get in a taxi without her.

Simon looked to the sky as a flash of lightning followed by a crack of thunder sounding, the air was cold and chilly, and in that moment he was glad he couldn't no longer feel the extend of the cold, glad he could no longer run the risk of catching the flu, or any other illness.

It was one of the only things he didn't mind about being a vampire, he was now immune to diseases that affected the mundanes, but after all it was a disease in itself that had changed him.

Simon found it odd that he was immune to mortal disease being immortal, but it was a disease itself that had changed him.

He laughed to himself without humor, in a way it was such a contradiction, Simon shook his head clearing his thoughts, as he looked up ahead to see how far Isabelle was from him, because although he may not have had any risk of getting sick, getting soaked and wet, wasn't very comfortable, but as Simon lifted his eyes from the wet sidewalk in front of him, out of his own thoughts in his mind, where the raindrops fell creating small reflective puddles, that was when he realized Isabelle was no longer ahead of him.

Simon paused, coming to a stop on the soaked sidewalk, the rain slowed slightly around him as the thunder still rumbled low in the distance, as the storm had begun to pass.

Simon looked around for any sign of where Isabelle may have gone, he knew she couldn't have gone far, but still he couldn't help the panic he felt by not being able to find her, especially in her state of mind, he wasn't quite sure what Isabelle was capable of.

So walking forward, Simon fought to keep calm, where would she have gone?

As he walked, Simon looked all around, even turning to look behind himself, unsure and growing worried he wasn't sure what he was going to do if he didn't find her, but as he walked closer to where he last saw her, Simon felt someone grab a hold of the back of his hoodie and pull him away from the rain drenched sidewalk, confused and ready to fight if he had to Simon paused as he felt the hand that had grabbed him release the wet fabric with a slight,

"Ugh."

Simon turned and saw a familiar pair of dark eyes gazing at him, from the other side of the door step they stood in front of, protected from the rain by the awning above them.

"Isabelle?" Simon asked confused, as she looked at him,

"Yeah." she replied, her focus on the rain before them, as Simon pushed his hood off his head and watched her,

"You scared me when you disappeared like that." He told her, as she looked back toward him, her eyes bright, as her long hair was stuck to her face and neck wet from the rain.

"Sorry." She replied softly, "The rain was starting to get uncomfortable."

Simon nodded, as he followed her gaze to the rain soaked streets, as people walked to and fro holding umbrellas to protect themselves.

Silence crept in between them, and unsure what to say, Simon turned his head slightly from the rain covered streets to watch Isabelle out of the corner of his eye.

He watched the rain water drip off the ends of her hair, down the glossy black of the gear she still wore; he took in the look on her delicate but fierce some features, the blank look of thought, as she watched the rain, Simon shifted his weight as he turned his head to fully take in her form before him, as the lightning flashed shining in her darkened eyes, as the pale color of it lit up her face like a camera flash in the distance.

Simon listened to the thunder as he turned his head away from her to gaze out into the rain covered streets, and finally clearing his throat causing her to look at him, he spoke as he gazed casually over at Isabelle.

"So, would you like to stand here…or grab a cab or what?" he asked slowly, with a warming grin as he tried to lighten the moody tense silence between them.

Isabelle looked from Simon to the world that was just a few steps away as she answered, "I think, I'd like to just stand for a moment…to collect myself in my thoughts…"

Simon listened carefully as she whispered the words, never taking her eyes off the rain falling from the gray streaked sky.

Simon sighed and turned to face her,

"Izzy…I know you think this is terrible, and in a way it is, but you can't go on hating and loathing yourself."

Simon watched as she didn't turn to face him, but her mouth stretched into a cold grin, before she adverted her eyes from the wet of the rain to Simon's face and spoke, softly, no hint of anger he could detect in her words.

"Using my own words against me now are you?" she asked,

Simon was taken aback, as he remembered she was right, it seemed not but very long ago it was her telling him, not the exact words but similar to. Isabelle had been the one that made Simon begin to believe he wasn't a monster, a cold blooded killer because of what happened with him and Maureen, and that he wasn't a nothing, but himself. Simon fought the smile that was threatening to appear on his face, he knew that it was one of the very reasons Simon vowed to help her now, if she could make him believe he was more than a nothing, and not hate himself as he had once before not long ago, he would help her to see, she was still Isabelle, it didn't matter what else happened, she would always be Isabelle.

"Yeah." Simon said casually, a hint of light humor in his tone, as she eyed him carefully, he looked at her full on, "I am, because no matter what it's true, and don't you think otherwise."

Isabelle watched him and opened her mouth to speak, when Simon put his hand up to stop her,

"I know what you're going to say, I have demon blood now, blah, blah, blah…" he imitated her, making a small smile play along her lips, when he continued.

"You might have demon blood, but as I said only moments ago, Izzy, that doesn't define you, can't you understand that? You define yourself, I mean yeah, you may get angrier easily, or you might find yourself sad for no reason, but when that happens just remember…I'm here for you, no matter what happens."

Isabelle turned away from him as he finished, Simon kept his eyes glued to her face, the last words of his sentence lingering in the chilled air between them, Simon knew that even if Isabelle did make him mad at times, and they fought that he couldn't stay angry at her for long, not when he knew she needed him.

Finally, after what seemed to be several long moments Isabelle spoke, never taking her eyes off the wet pavement, or the sound of the passing cars in the puddles on the road before them.

"You said, not long ago as well, back at the restaurant that…"

Simon watched as she paused, blinking a few times before she exhaled a deep breath and looked at him, her eyes glossy, and for a moment Simon couldn't tell if it were from the rain, or if tears were really in Isabelle's eyes, he figured if would be the former rather than later, Isabelle never cried, he had only seen her cry once and never again had he witnessed it.

She continued shaking her head as she looked back out at the rain; puddles were forming beneath them at their feet from the water dripping off their clothes.

"You said I don't own you, that you may not always come back, when I want you and think I need you…that I need to decide, if I want you or not…"

Simon took in the words she spoke slowly, as panic raised up in him, Simon didn't want to have this conversation now, he didn't want to know what she had decided, so in a panicked state Simon tried to pause her words with some of his own.

"Isabelle, I didn't mean it the way it sounded…you don't have to say anything about it, we don't have to discuss this now."

Isabelle turned to him then, her eyes lighting up again with the flashes of lightning as Simon felt the low rumble of thunder roll through him, like the hidden fear he felt deep within in those few moments.

"I feel I need to say it, I need to get it out of my mind." She whispered, as Simon fought to think of something to say, but not knowing he remained silent, and looked down away from Isabelle's gaze as she too tore her gaze away back to the storm streaked streets, and continued to speak,

"The truth is, I have been thinking on it, what you said after we had arrived and found out all that this rune is, all that I am now, all that I've become…"

Simon looked over at her, as she took another breath, and Simon could see the pale cloud of it as she exhaled in the cooling air, Simon focused on the awning above them dripping in the rain as he fought to contain his worry of what Isabelle was getting to saying, had she wanted him to go away and not help? Had she decided she were better on her own as she had before? Worry, had began to send tremors in Simon's hands, and he buried them deep in his pockets once more, in hopes she wouldn't notice.

Isabelle turned to him, her body angled toward his, as out of the corner of his eye he saw her heart beating in her chest, the hammering rhythm of a racing heart, when she spoke again, her voice a whisper.

"I was scared, after finding out all of that I am now, and what this rune means and that it is cursed,"

Simon looked down from the awning to meet Isabelle's gaze, her eyes sparked with a hidden worry as well, but Simon couldn't tell what worry clouded her mind, as he wondered if it mirrored his own but the opposite, but was brought of his thoughts when she confirmed his thoughts.

"I wasn't scared for myself as much as I was scared that after finding all that out, you'd leave…"

Isabelle looked away from Simon as she spoke the last words, Simon blinked a few times taking in what she had said, she was actually afraid of him leaving her? Simon was always worried it would be the other way around, had not Isabelle said many times she had used people and left them? Simon had always thought she'd be the one to leave him in the dust, but now he knew that her own worry did mirror his, only they were thinking opposite of each other, both worried the other would leave one another, but for what purpose, Simon was unsure even when he spoke next.

"You were worried –that I – would leave you?" he asked, confusion did cloud his tone, when Isabelle nodded not looking at him head on as she had moments ago.

"Yes." She began again, Simon watched as she breathed, able to see her breath as the temperature began to drop. "I was worried that after finding out all of that, you'd decide that maybe I wasn't worth your trouble, maybe that all my pushing you away and then pulling you back to me, would make you realize that, I should deal with this on my own, by myself."

Isabelle turned her head back to face Simon, as he watched her, and a small grin spread once again across his features, clouding Isabelle's confessing look into confusion.

"Why are you grinning?" she asked slowly, in a whisper,

Simon shook his head as he now spoke, "I was always convinced you'd be the one to split, decide you wouldn't need my help that you'd be fine on your own."

Isabelle opened her mouth to speak, but as Simon watched her, she took in his expression and closed her mouth in a tight line, only answering after she had turned once again from him.

"No." she began, whispering, as Simon leaned in to hear her, she closed her eyes to shake her head, as she turned back to him, their bodies only inches apart, and Simon could feel the warmth radiate off her body despite being soak and wet with cold rain.

Simon watched her, looking into her dark eyes as she opened them and spoke again,

"I may act like I don't need you sometimes, Simon, but the truth is I do, now more than ever, I don't like to admit that things frighten me, but this does…this rune, this curse on me, what I am now, it all frightens me,"

Simon laughed once as she gazed at him, raising an eyebrow, as if asking him what was funny,

"You don't get frightened though?" Simon asked,

"Everyone gets frightened sometimes. Even me, I may not admit it, but I do…it doesn't mean I won't fight, I will, I will to the end no matter what, but it's you that helps me through it Simon, makes me realize I can be strong through this, I was thinking on it all, thinking about giving in a few times as I walked ahead, but I realized that I couldn't, and I wouldn't because I knew if you could get through becoming a vampire, with your strength and your always being there for me, I know I can get through, even if I push you away and even if you one day don't come back, maybe, just maybe I'll have my mind made up for certain by time we have to make those choices."

Simon took in her words, and couldn't believe his ears, Isabelle had acknowledged his strength, his presence, helped her through this tough time, Simon had told her he'd be there for her no matter what, despite her pushing him away, and he knew that eventually if she didn't make up her mind if she really wanted him or not Simon would have no choice but to eventually walk away, but he knew that at that point and moment in time, he had to help her, even if it seemed it was the best time to walk away, Simon knew he couldn't if he tried, he had to help Isabelle, because not only did she help him begin to realize he wasn't the monster he always thought, but he loved her more than he knew he could ever form to words, more than he could ever sat to her, and even if her words she spoke that moment didn't prove her love to him as she had once said she did, it still felt like a progress reached to Simon, it felt good to know that Isabelle, had admitted to being frightened about the situation, and even knowing her own strength could and surely would get her through it, she felt she needed Simon to help her as well, so she wasn't alone, Simon couldn't quite describe the feeling it left within him of hearing words he never thought she would have spoken, words that Simon knew were a shock to hear because he never thought she had believed him, but now that it appeared she did believe him, it filled Simon with a feeling that could almost be the equivalent of his once beating heart, beating deep within him, deep in his chest.

Simon lost in his own thoughts and unsure what to say in return just gazed at her, as her eyes held a rare spark of genuine feeling, a look that Simon knew meant the words she spoke, were the truth of the moment, and Simon knew as well that within moments, being how unpredictable she was at the moment, Isabelle could change moods like the very weather around them, and knowing he didn't want to miss out on this moment between them, the sincere moment of understanding, of acknowledging their inner strengths and weaknesses, Simon breathed in the heat of her skin, and scent of her even soaked and wet, the scent of flowers and the scent that he knew was all Isabelle filled his senses as he closed the few inches between them, pressing his body against hers, feeling her heart, as he without thinking without any second thought leaned down and met his lips to hers.

Simon held Isabelle to him, as he felt her arms wind around his neck, as she kissed back after a slight hesitation, he felt her fingers knot in his damp hair as he felt his fingers brush against the rain soaked material of her gear at her waist, the water droplets on the ends of her eyelashes brushing against his cheek like dragonfly wings as he deepened the kiss, and ran his hand up her side, until it came up to cup her face gently, as he broke away gently to stare into her eyes, her breath cool against his face as she breathed into him.

Simon watched as a wide smile stretched across Isabelle's face, as their faces were still inches apart, and Simon got the feeling Isabelle was about to take control returning the heated kiss, when they heard a sharp.

"Ahem."

Simon jumped away from Isabelle to the other side of the little porch they stood on, as Isabelle turned her head away, hiding behind her thick damp hair, as Simon took in an angry man standing down on the small step to the porch of the building they stood in front of.

"Um…" Simon began, slightly embarrassed as he moved around to stand on step as the man walked up onto the porch, eyeing them both through a narrow expression. "We're just going to be…"

"Leaving now," Isabelle finished for him, as she faced the angered man, as he eyed them carefully, and Isabelle hopped down off the small porch next to Simon as she grinned back up at the man standing on the porch, he raised an eyebrow as he watched this, as he carefully juggled but the umbrella and stack of mail he held under his arm, in the tight trench coat he wore.

"Sorry for bothering your porch, we were just looking for shelter out of the rain." Simon spoke to nobody in particular, as the grumpy man shook his head and turned from them, and as he turned his head back, Isabelle looped her arm around Simon's and leaned her head against his arm, as the man shook his head again and muttered,

"Teenagers." Under his breath before entering the building, and shutting the door firmly behind him, Simon and Isabelle watched as the door shut before they turned toward the way they had been walking before, the rain had slowed down but only for the moment, Simon gazed back up at the porch and then back to Isabelle as they both busted out laughing at the encounter they just had, they weren't sure what was so strikingly funny about it, maybe nothing, maybe it was just good to laugh at nothing, and as they laughed at the man catching them kissing on his porch, they didn't care of the stares and dirty looks shot their way as they walked down the sidewalk, and walking as they were, arm in arm, together, Simon couldn't help but to feel if for the first time in a long while, actually somewhat normal.

He couldn't help but to feel like any other teenage boy walking down the street, with his girlfriend at his side, of course Simon wasn't sure that the term 'girlfriend' applied to Isabelle, he wasn't even sure where their relationship was at in standing points, but all Simon knew that in that moment he didn't care, he didn't care that he was a vampire, he didn't care that Isabelle had just found out a world she had grown up in and knew a lot of what was needed to know had been changed, he didn't care that she had a curse of the Bone Star rune of Divine Immortality on her, he didn't care that her emotions could mirror the seven deadly sins and he could get hurt in the process, he didn't care Isabelle had found out that she had been changed from Nephilim to Zaiphien, he didn't care that Alec and Jace were somewhere in the city looking for answers, he didn't care that Clary was probably having a fit at the apartment, Simon didn't even care if Magnus off on the shopping task he and Isabelle were going to take earlier got everything all wrong, although he knew that with Magnus that was unlikely, but still Simon in that moment didn't care about all that, all he cared about was the moment he was in, with Isabelle although soaked to the bone with rainwater, was at his side, her heart beat content in its beats in his head, her cool breath blowing across his neck as she leaned into him, and her warmth he could feel from under the dampness of her gear she wore. All Simon cared about was that he and her were there, and even though everything was far from perfect in their worlds, Simon was content to know that in that moment, as they walked hand and hand knowing where they were going but not when they'd arrive, that they cared about each other enough to feel each other's strengths, to know that even though things were tough, and things weren't what they'd had hoped they'd been in those particular moments, that they had each others' backs.

Simon knew any moment the mood could change, the feelings could be lost, so he savored the moment, he savored the feeling of Isabelle's hand in his, her scent all around him, the way the lightning lit up her eyes and the power of the thunder rolling and rumbling with the sound of her heartbeat in his ears, Simon knew that in a way Isabelle was now like the storm that surrounded them, unpredictable but strong, broken but beautiful, fierce but with a softer side she had never showed until Simon had chiseled through the shield she surrounded herself with, Simon knew the storm around them were also those very things Isabelle was, it was unpredictable never knowing what may happen next, it was strong in the powerful lightning strikes that could crack a tree in half in seconds, just as Izzy was with the silver gold of her whip.

Simon couldn't help but to smile, to himself and as he glanced at Isabelle at his side, because even if Isabelle's personality was much like a storm, Simon knew despite that she was his storm, even if only for that moment, and as Simon thought on all that was running through his mind at that time, the sudden stiffening of Isabelle at his side, brought him to his senses as he gazed down at her as she looked all around, like she were searching for something.

"Izzy?" Simon whispered to her, as he touched her face gently, gazing into her eyes, "What is it?"

"Someone's close by." She whispered back looking up and all around, Simon mimicked her gesture, and turned his attention back to her,

"Who? I don't see anyone."

"Me either." She replied calmly, "I sense someone is around…"

"Sense them? Almost like a kind of radar?"

Isabelle nodded, as she moved away from Simon, toward the curb, and even within those very few seconds Simon felt her warmth disappear and the scent that intoxicated his senses lessen as she stepped away from him to raise her arm up to find a taxi.

Simon gazed around unsure of what she had felt, but knew it must've been something she wished to get away from, as a bright yellow car sped up toward them, the tires swooshing on the pavement as Isabelle told the cabby through the window the destination and turned to Simon as she opened the back door.

Simon turned from looking around on top of buildings for a feeling he couldn't shake of being watched, he was unsure if it had been what Isabelle had sensed, and he was certain now that this time it wasn't Magnus watching them, Simon gazed around trying to find the source of the gaze he felt, the feeling of being watched when he was snapped out of his search by a voice saying,

"Um…hello? Earth to Simon, are you coming?"

Simon away from the tops of the buildings around them and looked back at Isabelle who was climbing into the back of the taxi shaking her head, Simon nodded to her as he pulled his hood up, hoping that it may in some off chance hide his identity.

Simon slid in the seat next to Isabelle, who sat awkwardly on the seat as the taxi moved forward and the scenery of the buildings and people walking passed them, the rain was beginning to pick up again, when Simon looked from out the window over at Isabelle who had begun to slide down in the seat, Simon watched her confused, about to ask what she was doing, when his eyes rested on a familiar sight at the taxi they were in passed.

There on one of the walks, with people passing by oblivious to the two figures, one tall with black hair and piercing blue eyes, the other slightly shorter hair golden with eyes to match,

It, was Alec and Jace, and as they gazed narrowly at the taxi as it passed, looking like two black ravens in the crowds of passing people, dressed in their gear and hidden to the eyes of the mundane, as they gazed at Simon, locking eyes with him for a split second, their faces fixed in looks of anger, pain and pure unhappiness, Simon had no doubt in his mind at all, that by the looks on their faces, they had seen them, and by the flushed color on Isabelle's face as Simon gazed down at her, they had seen her to, which only meant one thing, they knew she was alive, they knew Simon had known, and now the destination they were headed too, was no longer a safe place for them to go.

"Simon…" Isabelle whispered, her voice coming out in a breathless gasp,

Simon still looked out the window, as the two figures watched the taxi disappear, and Simon watched as they too disappeared out of sight, and swallowing hard, Simon replied,

"Yes?"

Isabelle sat up slowly and gazed out the back window of the taxi through the rain that was now beginning to pick up again, before she turned to Simon who locked gazes with her, her eyes were wide as she spoke again,

"Did they see us?"

Simon didn't answer at first only looked out the back window once more before he sat straight in the seat, he knew if his heart still beat it would be hammering in his chest like a jackhammer.

Simon looked at Isabelle's expression, and nodded once, as he spoke,

"Yes, yes I believe they did see us."

Isabelle gazed at Simon, as if his words were sinking in slowly, and as Simon watched her she nodded, and muttered something under her breath he didn't quite catch, before she turned away from him, and spoke where he could barely hear her, but he was lucky his hearing made out the words she spoke,

"They'll be coming to the apartment…"

"I know."

Isabelle turned her head to eye Simon, like she was surprised he'd heard her, he gazed over at her, as she closed her eyes and spoke again.

"It's not safe to go back there…" she whispered, and Simon looked at her,

"We have no choice, we don't have anywhere else to go, and Clary is there, we have to go back to tell her what is going on."

"I'm sure Jace is already on the phone with her as we speak." Isabelle told him bitterly,

Simon refrained himself from sighing as he looked at Isabelle who blinked several times wide eyed, and Simon got the urge to ask what she was thinking, but instead settled for some encouragement.

"It'll be okay Isabelle, I promise, we'll think of something, nothing will happen until we know more on what up with this rune."

Isabelle remained silent as she gazed out the window, Simon watched her for several minutes before turning to look out his own window, and he only prayed and hoped that what he spoke was true, that everything would be okay and that they would be able to protect Isabelle.

Simon hoped there was more information out there to find on the rune placed on her, and he hoped that if Alec and Jace had seen them, being Isabelle's brothers, if found them, Simon could only hope they'd listen and try to understand what was happening, not bring the Law of the Shadowhunters down upon them, and so with the new worried thought in mind, Simon remained silent the rest the way toward the apartment, as he was unsure exactly what to expect when they arrived.

Simon looked over at Isabelle, who gazed out at the rain filled streets once more, and Simon looked away again, knowing that she was equally as worried and in thought as he was on what may happen, and what could happen, and Simon knew as he gazed at Isabelle before turning back to gaze out his own window at the passing city before them, that Isabelle although she appeared to be perfectly still and perfectly un scared awaited whatever fate would come for her, Simon swallowed hard as he recalled her words, telling him she should be gone, that she shouldn't have returned, and that is when Simon knew, she would take whatever happened, the good or the bad, or any outcome that may appear, even – Simon thought, even if the outcome of her fate meant her second and final rest, even if it meant dying again, even if it meant being herself again if it were only for a little while, even if, Simon dreaded the thought as he pushed it away as fast as it entered his mind, even if it meant reliving her death, Simon knew she'd take whatever was thrown at her, even if it did mean, her second death.

So, how was that for an interesting chapter? New questions to answer! Did Alec and Jace really see them or was it some sort of trick? What will be awaiting them at the apartment, just Clary or something else?

Anyhow, review, PM (with any questions you may have! i like answering questions and being asked them as well, or if you just have something you'd like to say) etc.

hopefully next chapter will be coming soon. sooooo tell me what you think?

Thank you for reading! :) and reviewing!