Long time no see, sorry I've been so busy!

"Let me get this straight, you and Jace both got stuck together, climbed up a cliff, got caught in a forest fire and then you made a portal!" Isabelle questions me after I had already recounted the story to every single Shadowhunter on the Institute compound and there were almost a hundred of them!

"Yeah" I reply, brushing out my wet and tangled hair. They gave me a room for the night on the same floor as Isabelle and so she decided to gate crash.

"Wait, so you went to the desert and then you ended up with a cannibalistic tribe?"

"Yeah"

"Well that's random, but I suppose Alec told me that they can take you anywhere if you're not trained to use them"

"Yeah"

"So that's why you were dressed like that?"

"Yeah"

"And you and Jace are a couple?"

"Yeah" I say before I realise and Isabelle laughs as I start blushing furiously.

"But seriously, are you two a thing now, because like I saw he had a 0.00 number too! It's like destiny!"

"Well…I don't really know…like it's nothing official"

"So you kissed!" She squeals, her voice reaching unnatural pitches. I'm sure my face is beetroot red.

"Well…uh…yeah"

"More than once?"

"Yeah…."

"OMGsh Clary!" She tackles me into a hug and starts babbling. "Well this is convenient, because Alec told me that Jace is their adoptive brother. Which makes him my adoptive brother and if you two get married, you'll be my sister in law! Ooh and I'll have loads of beautiful nieces and nephews because he's so hot and-" "Auntie!?"

"Oh right. So Alec was right and I have three brothers! You should see Max, he's like the little brother I always wanted. He's so cute and he's been following me around since I got here, which was about two days ago. We took a direct path when we jumped from the train, Alec led us here but Jordon and Maia took Simon with them to the werewolf pack." She says it as a passing comment but I can tell by the way she fidgets with her band that it is painful for her.

"Hey, at least we know he's safe"
"Yeah, I just wish he was here"

"Why isn't he?"

She sighs.
"The Shadowhunters don't accept mundanes into the institute; he's about a mile away"

"Pining after the mundie?" A voice drawls from the doorway.

"Hey!" I scold as I turn to Jace. "They're soul mates, it's hard for them to be away from each other"

He mutters something and rolls his eyes.

"Anyway, Maryse sent me to tell Isabelle to go to bed"

"Bed!?" She protests at the same time as I exclaim "Maryse!?"

"Yes, Isabelle's mother claims that she needs to sleep before training tomorrow"

"But it's early!"
Jace raises his eyebrows.

"2.00 is early? What time did you used to go to bed!?"

Izzy huffs and hugs me goodnight before disappearing off to her bedroom.

"Goodnight lil'sister!" Jace calls down the hallway after her. He turns back to me and suddenly the room feels a whole lot smaller.

"A few Shadowhunters would like to talk to you about your rune power thing tomorrow morning, so I suggest you get some rest too"

I nod my head in agreement. His eyes flicker briefly to my lips and then he shifts over to the bed, facing opposite me.

"Jace, what happened out there, what does it mean?"

"What do you mean?" He asks, confused.

"Yunno, all the kissing stuff. It's all confusing, like we're meant to have soul mates and then it's just meant to be sorted. But then, with you, I don't know. Does it mean we're a couple or-"

Jace's lips crash onto mine before I can finish the sentence, his hand cups the back of my neck, holding me to him. He pulls away and my heart melts when I look into his eyes.

"Clary, we can be a couple if you want. Put a label on it, whatever. It won't change my feelings for you. As for the soul mate thing…" He takes my wrist and puts his own next to mine. The inconclusive numbers stretch out, making a chain of 0.00's. "My whole life I was an experiment, different. I eventually found out why and I settled for no-one. It hurt, of course it did, I'd watch all the others countdown and watch mine stay the same. But Clary I think this is even more special, there wasn't one moment when we met, we didn't fall in love because we were told to by a stupid countdown. I fell in love because I wanted to and because I found someone as special and-"

This time I cut him short and kissed him to convey all the things I couldn't say, how much I felt alone when everyone had soul mates. How much I realised that I loved him too. I tangle my fingers in his hair to deepen it, he responds with an equal amount of passion and groans when I push him away for air.

"I'm guessing the feeling is mutual" He smirks, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

"Definitely" I say through a big yawn.

He chuckles.

"Get some sleep. Goodnight Clary" He says, kissing my forehead.

"Goodnight Jace" I respond and snuggle into my duvet for some much needed sleep.

A weight flumps onto my bed and I try to ignore it.

"Get up!" Izzy whines, whacking me with a pillow.

"No my bed needs me" Mumble, going back to sleep. She makes an exasperated noise and rolls off of me. I think I've won when suddenly I'm tipped off onto the floor. I finally open my eyes to find Izzy smiling brightly at me.

"Good morning sunshine!" She greets, helping me up.

"What time is it?" I ask, rubbing my eyes.

"6.00"

"6.00!? Why did you wake me up so early!? Why were you up so early?"

"I have training" She says indicating to her training gear.

"Since when!"

"Since I became a Shadowhunter, and looks like you're being trained too" She says, pointing to the mound of black clothing on my chair. I groan, kick her out my room and change into the gear. I open my door into a long corridor, suddenly realising I have no idea where to go. I start walking randomly down the hallways, wishing I'd actually paid attention on the way here last night.

"Lost?" A voice asks, I turn to see Alec. I smile in relief.

"Alec, yeah I don't know where I'm going" I admit.

"Are you going training or breakfast?" He asks, politely although it looks slightly strained.

"Erm…I don't know, no-one has told me"

"Come with me, I'll introduce you to Maryse"

He leads me through the winding corridors and staircases, some of them vaguely recognisable from last night. We eventually end up in a large circular library, it's very impressive. A few people have gathered around a desk and are talking animatedly with a woman who looks shockingly familiar to both Alec and Isabelle. She must be Maryse. Alec clears his throat and she looks up.

"Ah you must be Clarissa" She exclaims, the other Shadowhunters glance up with badly hidden curiosity. "You look very much like Jocelyn used to" The others nod in agreement.

"My mother, you knew her?"
"Yes, we've been very good friends for years, I even believe she took care of my daughter when we lost communications."

"So you know where she is?"

"No I'm sorry, I do not, but I think we may already have an idea"

"Where?"
"Valentine would've been searching for the cup, that's why Salt Lake City was invaded. Jocelyn almost made it, but luckily she gave this" She holds up a card with a picture on it "to Magnus Bane, who delivered it yesterday."

"So…you think valentine has her?"

"I don't think, I know"

"Oh" I say, disappointed.

"Actually we were hoping you could help us, Jace recounted a very interesting story involving a certain ability of yours. We were wondering if you could demonstrate it"

"You want me to make a portal?"

"If you will" She says, handing me her stele. My palms feel sweaty, but I force my hand to stay steady as I draw the portal rune. As it unfurls I see a collective cry of astonishment from the Shadowhunters. I quickly slash the rune to close the gaping portal. It vanishes like it was never there.

"How interesting" A man with greying white hair exclaims. "Can you make other new runes?"

"I don't know" I reply honestly "I've never tried before"

"Well we won't pressure you, but if you think of anything, let us know. I'm Hodge Starkweather by the way" He says offering his hand, I take it. Maryse nods and says something to Alec quietly. He subsequently leads me off to a room for breakfast. When we reach the room, it is an elaborately decorated dining room full of Shadowhunters of varying ages. Jace beckons us over and I take the seat next to him, Alec sits on Jace's other side.

"So how did it go with the Shadowhunters?"

"Good I think, at least they seemed impressed"

He nods and continues eating the waffle. I smile as I remember our first encounters on the train. After a fulfilling breakfast, we make our way over to the training room. Jace insists he trains me himself. Alec complained saying that it was only an excuse for him to make out with me. I didn't really have an opinion, as I have no idea what training entails but I personally wouldn't mind Jace. Jace wins the argument and soon he has me battling him with a seraph blade. It's very frustrating as he looks like he's not giving any effort, whilst I'm giving it all that I have. Jace pins me down once more and I sigh in defeat. He smirks and helps me up on my feet. I glance around to see Isabelle practicing throwing knives at a target. She misses every time but it's all a matter of time and practise, right?

"Jace can we just do some knife throwing or something? This is getting boring"

He looks mock offended.

"I'm not good enough for you?"

"Oh shut up, you're too good. You floor me every time"

"Fair point, at least I have you falling for me"

I roll my eyes and drag him to the knife throwing station. Jace leads me through the action and soon I'm hitting very close to the target. Jace is casually chucking knifes next to me, looking rather bored but I try to ignore his natural ability. Also the way he looks at me is very distracting. He quickly gets bored and moves onto something else, but I continue throwing the knives. I want to get at least one bull's-eye! I bend my knees, flick my wrist and chuck the knife with quite some force at the target, it twirls and stick in the centre. I squeal and dance in celebration, Iz looks at me in approval and smiles at the knife in the centre. I glance round for Jace, but he's already engaged in an intense fight, I shrug and skip up to the target to admire how deep it had sunk into the wood.

"Impressive throw" A silky voice exclaims from behind me. I whirl, startled and come face to chest with a tall dude. He had dark black hair and eyes even darker, although dark they were ringed with long eyelashes. He seemed familiar, like one of the dark knights I'd draw.

"Oh right, thanks" I say, and try to pull the knife out, but its stuck inches deep.

"Here" The dude says, pulling the knife out with one hand in one swift motion, I raise my eyebrow at the obvious strength he has.

"I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself" He had a slightly French accent, strange for someone in America, but hey ho. "My name is Sebastian Verlac"