Heya, I hope you like this chapter… I think I'm gonna have a Clace moment this chapter or next chapter, maybe not. Also, what happens on Sizzy's date? What happens with Maia and Clary after the whole thing with Jordan? And what is going on with Magnus and Alec? Should all be coming up in this chapter, maybe the next? Enjoy, and please review!

Lu xxx

…

It took Clary less than a couple of minutes to find Maia. She was slumped against a locker, her head in her hands, crying. It was horrible to listen to, it sounded so… so heartbroken. Clary sat down next to Maia and put her hand around her best friend.

"Maia, I am so, so sorry."

"What, that the boy I loved more than anything is a lying bastard? That he as good as broke up with me with that slut in front of the whole school?" Maia broke down all over again into Clary's arms and she held onto her, rubbing her back. She hated to have to be comforting her friend like this, but at least she was there for Maia.

"Shhh, Maia, it'll all be fine, we'll work it out. I will always be here for you, just you remember that, okay, come on sweetie…" Tears continued to fall down Maia's face and it was all Clary could do to be the only thing in the world the girl could hold onto that wouldn't disappear. The bell went for their final lesson, Music, but there was no way Clary was moving. Maia needed her now and she would not abandon her friend.

Time seemed to just disappear as they sat there. In some ways it felt like hours, and in others it felt like barely seconds had passed. All Clary knew was that the bell that signalled the end of the day was going off.

"Do you want to go, Maia? Or do you want to stay here for a bit?" School didn't lock up for hours because of all the stuff that went on after hours. So they didn't have to move for a while.

"I want to stay," she whispered, "I don't think I can face going home just yet. Not with Mom always going on about my relationship…" Clary hugged her closer.

"Okay, okay, Maia, we'll stay, you don't have to face your mom, it will get better, oh Maia." They sat there for what felt like hours and probably was hours, when a buzzing lit up the silence. It was Maia's mom, texting to find out where she was.

"I'd better go," she sniffed, pulling out of the embrace, "Mom will be freaking out by now."

"Okay, let's get going." It was still light outside, but only just. Clary could see that twilight was just around the corner – the sun burned low and bright in the sky – so she quickly said goodbye to Maia and hurried off home. It was bad enough having to walk home on her own after her Mom, she would not in the dark. It would only take her ten minutes, she hoped.

…...

Simon skated backwards, dragging Izzy along. She screamed in delight, lost her footing and swung around him. He pulled her upwards away from the ice and held her close, spinning around as he did so. The ice rink was nearly empty at this time of day, and he had been messing about with Izzy for a couple of hours now without anyone giving him looks or shouting at him for being out of control. As promised, she was loving it, even if she was absolutely awful and fell over every two minutes, often pulling him down with her. This happened again now, and they ended up in a heap, with them sprawled in a messy tangle of limbs and her dark hair, standing out bold against the ice. Simon leant over and kissed Isabelle softly on the lips.

"Shall we get out of here?"

"Yeh, why not? How about a coffee somewhere?" Simon smiled at her, and shakily got to his feet – falling over this many times in an hour had to be terrible for his ankles. Grabbing her hands, he dragged her up after him.

"I know the perfect place.

A few minutes later, and Simon was leading a curious Isabelle into his favourite haunt – Java Jones. He had used to come here a lot with Clary, before their mom Jocelyn had been killed. Now Clary was too scared to walk the streets at night, even with Simon, and since visits seemed to take a very long time, it normally was dark by the time they were ready to leave. It was nice to be back here again, and he only hoped that Izzy would like it too.

They settled down in a seat next to one of the grimy windows, well out of the way of the normal crowd of the place, and Izzy picked up one of the peeling laminated menus, studying it carefully.

"Do you know what you want?" Simon asked after a few moments. Isabelle set the menu down.

"Just a cappuccino." Simon nodded and wandered over to the counter. Isabelle took a moment to look around. The place was small, and had the cosy feel of a place that people kept returning to for a long time. It was very peculiar. The wallpaper was slightly faded and most of the rugs and chair covers were threadbare, but she liked it. It felt … comfortable somehow. No wonder Simon liked it.

He came back over now, setting down the cups of steaming liquid on the polished table in front of them. Izzy picked up a sachet of sugar and sprinkled it carelessly over her cup.

"So, you like this place?" Izzy nodded.

"It's cool. I didn't think I would, but, it's…it's nice." Simon laughed and took a sip of his coffee. Izzy blew on her own several times before taking a drink.

"You know what would make it even better?" She said in a sweet voice.

"I have an idea…" Simon said, and before he knew it Isabelle was kissing him, full on the mouth. She wound her fingers into his hair, feeling the soft curls underneath them. He circled her with his arms, gently, pulling her closer to him. She smiled against his mouth, and drew back just a little bit. Simon stared into her dark grey eyes. They looked like the sky in the middle of a storm.

"Was that it?" Simon asked. Isabelle just laughed and leant in again, pressing her lips to his. They sat there for a while, wrapped in each other's arms, and for that time everything was just right with the world.

…

Jace stared at Alec across the wobbly metal table. His friend had been a little bit fidgety all afternoon, and now proved to be no exception. As the two of them waited for their coffee to arrive, Alec was picking at the sleeve of his sweater and staring right at Jace, although his cloudy eyes suggested he wasn't really with it.

"Are you going to stare at me all day? I mean, I know that I'm stunningly attractive, but really?" This seemed to snap Alec out of his reverie. He blinked and shook his head.

"No, I was just thinking…"

"Just thinking about what exactly Alec?" Alec went red immediately. Jace shook his head and smirked.

"You're thinking about that new kid Magnus, aren't you?" Jace didn't think it was possible, but Alec's face went an even darker crimson.

"What is going on between you then?" Alec looked as if he was just about to answer, but just then the waitress at Taki's, a blue eyed blonde bimbo by the name of Kaelie, cam past and deposited their drinks down. Jace sighed as she winked at him. Kaelie had been trying to seduce him for months. It hadn't been working.

"Talk about bad timing. Would you care to continue, Alec? I haven't got all day to watch you turning into a beetroot." The boy's throat seemed to free up, and he finally answered.

"He's nice, Jace, that's all. He's just a friend. Hell, how am I supposed to know, I've barely known him a day." Jace smirked again.

"Are you sure? Because I could have sworn there was something… more, you know what I mean?" Alec glared at Jace, but behind the steely gaze, Jace could see something else – fear?

"I don't know what you mean…" Alec spluttered.

"Alec, I know. I'm your best friend. I figured it out." Jace responded. "Not that it matters to me! God Alec, I don't have an issue with it!" He added hastily, seeing the look on Alec's face. Seeing the genuine tone in Jace's voice, he relaxed a little.

"Maybe Jace, but I really don't know. Just now it's nice just to have someone else to talk to while you're off with your popular mates. Don't think I don't notice. You'd much rather be with them than me. I'm just a burden to you." Ouch. That stung.

"Well, if that's how you feel…" Jace stood up abruptly and pulled on his coat, turning towards the door,

"Jace, wait, I didn't mean it like that…" But Jace had already gone out of the door and was stalking along the street outside, huddled against the wind. Alec couldn't tell if he was annoyed, or upset, or what. Jace had put on a blank that even he couldn't read. And Alec could always read Jace. Shit, he thought, and raked his hands through his hair, yanking it so hard that he nearly pulled clumps of it out, what have I done?

…...

Jace sat with his head in his hands. Alec is right, he thought, I do just leave him. By the angel I'm a crap mate. Jace was perched on a decrepit old bench on the opposite side of the street from his house. He came and sat here sometimes when he needed to think, when he needed space from everything. Damn he had messed up. He had screwed up good and proper. Now Alec must hate him, Izzy was never that well acquainted with him anyways and the jocks he hung out with – they only liked him because he went down well with the girls and was good at football. And Jace wasn't even allowed to pursue the girls who chased after him. That sucked hard.

Jace was feeling so messed up that he barely noticed the wind picking up, swirling in deafening gusts that blocked out most of the sounds around him. He was just staring straight ahead of him, lost in thought, barely noticing anything. Alec was as close to him as a brother. The only one he had let in. Well, now he had probably ruined all of that. Great. His vision was blurred, and he could barely pick out the details of the image in front of him. Was it the wind slamming into his eyes, or tears? Jace couldn't be sure. He wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve. He was Jace Herondale. He would not cry.

Lowering his arm, his vision became immediately clear, and he could see her again. The pretty girl with the flame red hair. She was walking down the path towards him, looking awfully nervous, twitching and hugging herself. She seemed to be in a hurry. Now she was a bit closer he could see those eyes. They were like green emeralds on her porcelain face, paling under the cold wind. They were enchanting. Jace could barely keep his eyes off her as she walked past him to cross the road. Jace could feel trickles of coolness running down his face again, and his vision becoming hazier every second, but his eyes remained locked on the girl as she began to cross the street.

…

Clary huddled herself against the strong gusts, and sped up her pace. She just wanted to get home now. It was close to getting dark and she didn't want to be caught out on the streets later on. She was staring straight ahead, noticing nothing in her peripheral vision. She was walking the way she always had done, but it didn't seem quite the same without Simon. Or maybe it was just because she hadn't walked this way this late for a long time. Just up ahead she saw a hunched figure with it's head in it's hands. She looked away before she could assume anything. Assumptions were always her downfall.

She had reached the place where she normally crossed the street. Sighing, she stepped onto the road and continued onwards. She didn't notice the car until it was a few metres away. The driver was on the phone and hadn't noticed her. She tried to move but her muscles were paralyzed. She couldn't. She closed her eyes, trying to brace herself for the impact. She felt something smash into her hard.