Hey guys. I'm stopping the story until the holidays are over. Thanks for reading and happy holidays! -Swirlsofember

Chapter 8

Clary was almost out the front door when she remembered Jace was still upstairs. He doesn't know. She changed directions and hid in an empty room, waiting for the dragon to pass. Once her heart slowed down enough to think, she noticed that it was too quiet. Soft music was playing far away. Was he playing the piano? fuck fuck fuck.

Clary poked her head out towards the hallway to find it empty. Now was her chance! Clary held her breath as she kept low to the ground and ran towards the stairs. She was climbing so fast that she was using her hands to help guide her. She followed the music to find it was indeed Jace, who was in the middle of a crescendo of Chopin's # 64

"Jace" She whispered. "unless you can portal us out of here, we need to go." She said tugging on his arm that never budged. He was on a mission and he wasn't going to be stopped.

"I can do that in a second, I'm almost done." He murmured settling into the last few measures of the song.

Her voice squeaked. "I'm serious, there's a monster in the building. We have to go now."

He tilted his head and with a smirk he said. "What does it look like? A big fish with wings?"

"yes, what? No, It was a dragon-thing. I called Simon, he's going to meet us at the subway to pick us up."

His playing came to an end and he looked around the room disappointed. "It didn't work."He said more to himself than to her. "I thought for sure something was going to happen." He paused as he took in her presents "I thought you left." He said turning towards her.

"I didn't want you to be eaten." She said hastily. "Now come on."

He raised an eyebrow at her. The thought of him getting eaten was quite funny. No way was he ever going to sit on a plate with an apple in his mouth waiting to be eaten. "How did you get up here in the first place?"

She stared at him. Is he really playing 20 questions, right now? "I followed a blue light." She said.

Jace gracefully stuck his hand into his Jacket and pulled out the witchlight. "This?"

Clary stared at the stone as it flickered. "Yeah, what is that?"

Jace nodded to himself. "This is witchlight. It comes from a Shadowhunter city." He sounded bored. "I'm surprised you can see me already." He looked like he was contemplating with himself. His golden eyes searching mine. He moved closer. "Have you ever had something happen that you couldn't explain? Someone giving you free stuff. Seeing people with strange talents?"

Clary thought about what happened at the bookstore and at the club. Her hand went to the necklace. "Maybe. Why?"

Jace drew a circle with his finger on the back of her hand that was still on his arm. "There once was a time, long ago, where a magical sword could destroy all of the werewolves, vampires, and warlocks. The sword was once placed in the wrong hands, and almost succeeded in wiping out all downworlders. The only person able to stop it was a Shadowhunter. She wedged herself through metal bars, flirted her way up into the main house, and when she was close enough to touch the sword, she put a rune on it to destroy it. The sword sucked up enough angelic power that it blew up, causing her to become weak and mortal. Like a modern Hercules, only it upset the balance in her blood, her body rejected herself and she lost her life she once held."

"That's a horrible story. Is that girl in the story supposed to be me? Why would I protect vampires?"

Jace tilted his head to the side with a smirk "That's a good question to ask Simon when you see him. What time are you supposed to meet him?"

Clary looked at him funny. "What does Simon have to do about any of this?" Clary raised her hands in the air exasperated. "I'm trying to get us both out of here. WE are getting out of here NOW." This time when she tugged on his arm he followed. Clary took him outside to the balcony.

Jace was looking up at the sky , while Clary was looking two stories down. "It might be safer to jump." She said looking up at the blonde. He sighed.

Clary turned back to test the railing. She was getting ready to push herself up when Jace knocked her down back onto the platform. A loud swoosh flew by their heads. Clary heard a loud creature screech as Jace dug a blade into its huge wing. The creature was dark as night and a foot or two taller than Jace. Her eyes went wide. This thing was nothing like what she saw on the stairs. It's wings looked like smoke while the body looked like rugged leather. Its head was enormous with horns coming out from the top.

Clary watched the aloof Jace that she knew turn into a predator. The wildness she saw in him that first day was coming out and showing her his natural grace. Jace grabbed a second blade from his back, this one glowed, and he sliced in a arch down the creatures chest. Clary started to feel dizzy. 'I'm going to pass out again.' She thought. Within the next second, Jace was in her face yelling something at her but it sounded all muffled. She wanted to sit still, her head was pounding, the sound of her heart was loud in her ears.

Jace picked her up but she tried to get out of his grasp. She was going to get sick, she didn't want to throw up on him. She wanted the floor, but he was stronger than her and once he carried her through a portal he set her down. She could feel the temperature change and the lack of wind. They were in the subway. She grasped a cold metal pole and tried to calm down. She was fighting to stay awake. She focused on the pole until the dizziness passed. When she finally looked up Jace was a few feet away talking to Simon. The first thought was how different Simon looked. He looked like a badass. They all did. It only took Clary a second to realize his girlfriend was here too. She was tying up her long knee high boots. 'Kill me now.' Clary thought. 'I don't want to look like garbage here kneeling on the floor. I gotta get up.'

Clary got to her feet and the crew went quiet as she approached. "Hey. What's up with the bow?"

Simon looked down at her."You asked for back up and here we are. You okay Fray?"

Clary wanted to cry into hysteria, but with Isabelle and the bow in the way. She shook her head slowly. Not trusting herself to speak more than she has to.

Simon got closer to her "You're shaking. Clary it's going to be okay." He reached out to touch her. His hand was freezing. He wiped a tear off her cheek. "Isabelle and I will check it out. Go with Jace and rest okay?" He patted her shoulder like a small child and she hardened. She was not a child that needed consolidated. She couldn't meet his eyes when they parted.

Jace took the lead and she followed. After a couple blocks Jace slowed down to walk with her. "You know, what you did back there was impressively brave. I have to admit that's a trait that goes straight down to your bones. You saw a monster and instead of running away you went back inside to save someone you hardly know." Clary looked up at him to see he was smiling.

Clary responded "I can't pay back a debt when that person is dead. You brought me my keys, slept in my bed, I feel responsible for any harm that would come to you." Clary's hand went to the necklace. "Plus you're the one who faced the monster. You're the true hero here."

Jace watched her, then said "I'm not a hero, I'm just the bigger beast."

Clary rolled her eyes. "A beast that plays piano like an angel." She laughed at the idea. "No, you're more like an angel. A superhuman who is charming and likes to deliver keys to lost college students."

" Only the redheaded ones." He said tugging on a piece of her hair. "It seems you lost your keys again. You know it would be easier if you just use the window. Or I don't know, get a roommate?"

Clary pondered for a minute. "My keys usually pop up sooner or later, and I don't have a lot of friends. The only friend at school just got eatened today ." Clary stopped walking "Oh poor Brock." The reality sinking in and the hysteria rose up again like an ocean inside her.

She felt Jace enclose her in a big hug. She couldn't stop the tears this time Jace said in a soft voice. "Clary. By the angel, Clary he's not dead." He said to her. "I should have told you sooner, that thing with scales, that's Brock. He's a warlock Clary. That's what he looks like without the glamour on. Clary are you hearing me? It's ok." It took a few more minutes of silence before she responded.

"How come I didn't see him before?" She muffled.

"The necklace that you wear, you're not strong enough to see downworlders without it. He would look human to you. Please look at me, I can't stand seeing you cry any longer, especially over someone who is a bigger idiot than Simon."

Clary playfully smacked his arm as she pulled away but he still held her hand. His thumb moving in circles over her fingers.

" I saw how you changed when we left. Whatever is going on between you two is strange."

Clary nodded as they continued walking. "Its been like that for a while. We went our own ways. I went to college, he didn't. He got a girlfriend, I didn't."

"I would hope you didn't have a girlfriend." Jace interrupted teasingly.

Clary blushed "He stopped coming over, and I felt abandoned and frustrated. This morning was the first time I've seen him in a very long time. Twice in one day actually and it feels like I'm still an outsider. He's changed so much more than I remember." She exclaimed.

They stopped in front of the institute. Clary felt deflated, her whole world was against her. Jace squeezed her hand. Well, almost everyone. "In order to learn you have to change. In order to survive you have to adapt. In all honesty, it sounds like you're more upset at yourself. I'm sure you have changed in the last few years as well. After all you had only yourself to depend on, it must have been hard."

Clary felt an electric trickle zip up her arm. Clarity. Sharpness. Truth. Flashes of Jace and her laying down on a bed she didn't recognize. Her hands were in his hair. He laid his forehead against hers. "Stay with me." He said.

Clary jolted out of the vision. She looked up at him. "What was that?" She said. His eyes were glued to her emerald ones.

He was just as confused. "That was a long time ago." He said slowly. "You tapped into my runes, I could feel it." He rubbed a spot on his arm. "Come on, let's get you inside."