"What did I miss?" I ask as I sit back down on the couch. I pull the blanket back over me and make sure to distance myself from Jace a little more than I had been before. He looks at me with a raised eyebrow, clearly noting the difference in distance and was curious about it. I don't offer any explanation and he doesn't ask for one out right, so I simply remain silent. He shifts toward me slightly and wraps his arm around my shoulders. I want to pull away and sink into him at the same time.

I see Michael Meyers sneaking up behind an unsuspecting victim and I make my decision really quick. I am buried into Jace's side. I am such a wimp.

The next morning I wake up and just lay on my bed. I am just thinking about what kept me up half of the night as I lay there. My head turns lazily to the red curtains that are covering my windows, and I see that the sun is just rising. So what happens when two boys seem to make my heart flutter slightly? What happens when I am just a little more partial to Jace than I am to Sebastian? I can just think of what Isabelle would say 'This isn't Twilight,' she would say, 'just pick one, crush their heart and go after the other. Simple.'

Clearly I don't need to go to her for any type of advice…ever. So who else could I talk to?

There really isn't anyone that I will talk to other than her. I want to talk to her about Sebastian more than anything, but I know that I can't because that would be giving away the whole operation, and it isn't worth me upsetting Jace so much. I close my eyes and sigh. Why do I care about upsetting Jace so much? I feel a pang in my chest, and am seriously starting to regret everything about yesterday, the argument over the phone with Jace, which was why I was so eager to stay out with Sebastian, which was why Jace came out so tired, which was why he was in my bedroom sleeping, which caused Jon to tease me and for me to take the bait to join him and sleep in the same bed. Of course all of that resulted in us have a very brief, and nice, kissing session when we woke up, which may or may not have meant anything to me.

I wonder if even Isabelle could analyze what is going on in my life right now. Somehow I doubt it, but then I don't because her capacity to just be a girl is astounding and she is very good with looking at and finding solutions to drama…or at least she was with a few other people that I know, like Jordan and Maia.

I feel my stress levels rise and fall as my mind starts going through this continuous path of uncertainty. I stand from my bed, suddenly sure that if I do not get out of this room, they are going to find me on the floor in some kind of mentally altered state…though I might already be there. I walk out of my room not really looking at where I am going. I close the door behind me and try and take a step forward, my eyes locked on the ground, where they might just stay for the rest of my natural existence. Of course, I then knock into someone's chest, they let out an unmanly yelp, and we both stumble backward. I find myself on the ground, wondering what I did to deserve this kind of hellish torment.

"What just happened?" a familiar groan came from underneath me. It would explain the uncomfortable landing, because I landed on a very boney frame.

"Sorry, Si," I say as I roll off him and push myself up onto my feet. "I didn't mean to knock you over."

"I know," he said, sounding slightly out of breath. "I wasn't really watching where I was going either."

"Why?" I question. "Only one of us is allowed to be distracted at a time, Simon, and I've got that position called for about three more years after today still."

Simon snorts and says, "You always have that position." He clambers to his feet, lacking any form of grace or coordination that Jace would have had. He still sticks his hand out to me all the same, such a good friend. I take it, and he pulls me to my feet. "Something specific on your mind, Morgenstern?"

"Don't change the subject from you," I command. "What's wrong, Simon?"

He smiles at me, clearly trying to keep me from being suspicious...clearly he is failing to remember that I have around sixteen or so years of experience in dealing with him and all of his facial expressions, his quirks, and his habits, so naturally, I am going to know when he's lying to me, and when he is trying to stop me from prying...though as his best friend it is my job to pry.

"Nothing's wrong with me, Clary," he said. "If you're hungry, we can go downstairs and eat. I know that Jace is cooking breakfast right now, since no one else in the house can even boil water."

Of course, Jace would be able to cook. Is there anything that he can't do that would make me dislike him even a little bit? I scowl at the thought of being like the other girls at school, the whores that fall on the ground at his feet and practically beg him to go out with them. I don't want to be even close to that, but I swear it feels like I am.

"Simon," I say, "you are the single worst Liar that I have ever met. Now tell me what's wrong, or I am going to get Isabelle in here and she can beat the answer out of you!" I look at his gangly figure, wondering where the height joke was going to come in, about me being too short to beat him up. It doesn't come. Simon doesn't really say anything.

At the mention of Izzy, his shoulders slump slightly and he sighs. "I know that you keep teasing me and Isabelle about a relationship, just like everyone else does, but I don't think it's ever going to happen, whether or not I want it to."

"What are you talking about?" I ask. "It wasn't really teasing, Si. You two are perfect for each other!"

"Tell that to Isabelle," Simon snaps unexpectedly. He is frowning, which throws me off, but I suck it up and look at him as I wait for an answer. "She has a date tonight with some guy name Meliorn tonight. She asked me for help finding an outfit because she wanted to look beautiful for him."

"Simon-"

Simon stiffened his jaw and shook his head. "I know that I might not be the most intelligent guy in the world, but I'm pretty sure that I know that I can take that as a rejection considering the fact that I may not have been exactly blunt with my feelings to her, but I know that I wasn't exactly subtle."

Just looking at his face, seeing the heartbreak painted on it as clear as day, and seeing the betrayal in his eyes was enough to make me want to walk up to Isabelle and try and shake some sense into her. I know that I can't because Izzy isn't that type of girl, and Simon knows that too, which is why he is so resigned. I feel helpless, which isn't exactly a great feeling at the best of times, but considering the fact that I already felt helpless about my situation with Jace and Sebastian, I now only feel worse.

I pray for some form of wisdom as I walk over and give Simon a huge hug, one so tight that I hear a few parts of his spine crack. It is not nearly enough, and I know that it is not what he needs, but it is all that I can give him, because I know that it is the only thing that I can do to take even a little bit of his pain away. I don't like not being able to do anything, but the worst part about it has to be the fact that I know that I can't, and that there is nothing anyone, other than Izzy can do about it, but my brain is still desperately trying to find a solution.

"So," I say as I pull away from him, admittedly curious about what he did after Izzy asked him to help her pick out clothes, not that I would ever ask him, "are you feeling hungry or what?"

"No offence Clary," Simon said, "but I'm not really all that hungry, I think I'm going to take a little walk."

I nod, knowing that there was no way that there was a little walk in the middle of November, but there was most likely no way to tell him that. The only thing that I knew for sure from that little piece of information was that Isabelle was still in the house somewhere.

"Okay," I say, nodding. "Do you want me to come with you?" I wanted breakfast, but I didn't really want it with Jace if I was feeling so confused. I just wanted to do something in peace.

Of course Simon was too wrapped up in his own problems to register this and shook his head. "No," he replied. "I think I need to be alone for a little while."

I nod, feeling selfish for feeling resentful. "Okay," I say. "Enjoy your walk." I turn away from Simon and walk down the staircase. I see that Alec and Jon are on the couch in the living room, watching the weather on the television.

"Mom called," Jon said without even looking up. "She said that she and dad were just going to take the weekend at the hotel…apparently they managed to score a nice place up there."

I silently wonder if they would perhaps consider taking me up there and letting me stay with them, because I really don't want to be here right now. Jon seems to pick up on my mood and looks at me with a raised eyebrow. "Something wrong, Clare? You and Jace get into an argument last night?"

I just shake my head. "How could we have when I was around him in front of you all last night until I went to bed?"

"Don't start bickering," Alec says snappishly. "It's too early for that!"

Jon whistles and shakes his head. "What's wrong with you? You and Magnus were allowed to share a room last night; I figured you'd be happy this morning!"

"Happy because my boyfriend decided to keep kicking and punching me all night?" he says, making sure to say the last part over his shoulder. I look up and realize, with a start, that Jace and Magnus are in the kitchen. Jace is behind the stove, and I just begin to register the amazing smelling fumes that are coming from his direction, and the other is sitting on one of the black barstools that are sitting in front of a counter that is attached to stove, making an island in the middle of the kitchen.

"Don't get your panties in a wad," Magnus said breezily. "I was having a nightmare."

"About what?" Alec said, turning around.

Magnus looks up from what I realize is the newspaper and looks at Alec, his eyes wide and innocent. "Michael Meyers was trying to kill you and I couldn't do anything to stop it."

We were all silent for a moment. I assessed Magnus and had a sneaking suspicion that he was lying through his teeth…he was a smooth bastard anyways. I feel a grudging admiration. Alec has not looked away from Magnus, and where I am standing beside the staircase does not allow me to see his face. Jace can however, and that is how the silence is broken. Jace makes a disgusted face at his stepbrother and makes a fake puking noise over the stove.

Alec looks away flushing while Jon and I both snort. Magnus cracks a small smile, pushes his chair away from the counter, and walks over to Alec. "Don't listen to them," he says as he sits in between Alec and Jon. "I'd throw Jace in the way to save you any day."

At that Alec, Jon and I snort while Jace lets out an indignant. "Hey!"

I go to sit down in the chair, about to start watching the news, when Jace calls, "Clary! Are you going to come out here and keep me company while I slave over a big, hot stove?"

I want to tell him no and that I really don't feel like talking to him right now, but I can't. I smile and walk into the kitchen, taking Magnus' old seat. I look up at him and see that he is looking down at the eggs that he is currently scrambling.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked so quietly that the others in the living room could not hear him.

I am looking down at the stove when he asks, so when I look up to see his large golden eyes fixed on me with genuine concern, I am shocked. "Fine," I remark, unsure of what else I am supposed to say. "I just have a lot on my mind is all."

"We're still friends, Clare," he remarked after a moment, his tone a bit more controlled as he said their actual title. "You can talk to me and tell me anything, I promise. "

I nod, knowing that what I have on my mind is nothing that I am ever going to share with him, "I know."

Hello, people! I would just love to say that you all are freaking amazing! I got all of the votes for who you wanted Clary to talk to, and there's a tie between Izzy, Jon, and Magnus. I don't know how, but you all managed it! So congratulations! Vote again, I guess, and tell me who you want. I'll take the votes until tomorrow morning and then I'll probably start writing again…hopefully.

As for the chapter…well, who feels bad for Simon? I know that I do, and what is Isabelle doing with that douche bag? I don't know, tell me what you think! :)