Chapter 7

Clary awoke to the ringing of a very particular phone. She slammed a pillow over her head and groaned. "Five more minutes!" She sighed when after two rings, it didn't cease. "Stupid house phone." she muttered.

She froze. House phone? She was at home? When did she get there? Last thing she remembered was lying on Isabelle's couch… and falling asleep. Did she sleep walk all the way home? No. That's completely irrational! She then say Jace down the hallway from her door, looking for something.

Clary went to get up, pulling off the covers, and froze in place again. This wasn't the blue shirt and jeans she was wearing earlier. Now, she was wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of fluffy, blue pajama pants. Someone had changed her. And that someone was walking into the room.

"Where's the phone, where's the phone, where's the freaking pho-" Jace whispered before being whipped in the face with a pillow. "Ow!"

"Jace! What the hell!?" Clary exclaimed, boiling.

Jace looked over at her. "I should ask you the same thing."

Clary sighed. "No! I mean- what the hell?" she said gesturing to the pajamas she was wearing.

He shrugged. "What? Do you not like the colours Miss. Artiste." he said sarcastically,

"Not that!" she yelled. "You changed my clothes?"

He smirked slightly. "What's wrong with that?"

"Everything!" She threw another pillow at him while he chuckled.

"So?" he asked, smirk still dominant on his face. "Nice bra, by the way."

Clary unconsciously crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from his gaze. Her cheeks taking in a light pink colour. Suddenly, the phone started ringing again.

Jace sighed, looking like he was about to rip his hair out. "Where is the darn thing?"

Clary reached under the bed and pulled out the phone. She didn't even check the caller ID because it was 3:00 in the morning. Whatever it was had to be important.

"Hello?"

Isabelle's whimpering voice answered the phone. "Clary?"

Clary was nervous now. "What is it Iz?"

"H-he has Simon. Armel took Simon…" Isabelle could barely finish the sentence before the phone was filled with quiet sobs.

It took Clay a moment to process before she was able to respond. "Are you okay? Iz, where are you?" she asked frantically.

here were a few more sniffles before Isabelle's voice came back on the phone. "Uh, I-I'm at the hospital… The car…"

"Be there soon." Clary simply stated and hung up. She jumped up and ran towards her dresser, grabbing a new pair of jeans and a jacket from her closet.

"What's happened?" Jace asked from his spot in the doorway, throwing the pillows back onto the bed.

"Armel has Simon. Isabelle's at the hospital. We've gotta go. Now." she said quickly, grabbing her clothes. She stopped suddenly and stared at Jace.

He looked at her questioningly. "What?" he asked.

She continued to stare. "I have to get changed." she simply stated. After a silent moment she spoke up again. "Go!"

Jace shrugged and slipped his hands into his pockets, standing his ground. "Nothing I haven't seen before." he stated jokingly, trying to lighten the mood. And failing.

Clary groaned, throwing her jeans and socks to the ground and throwing on her black jacket. "Never mind. Let's go!" she sped past him and headed straight to the car, leaving jace to follow behind.

"This has got to stop happening." he muttered and headed out the door as well.

…

Clary arrived at the hospital, Jace right behind her, and walked up to the front desk.

"Isabelle Lightwood?" she asked.

The dark, curly haired woman looked up at her and squinted. "Weren't you here a week or so ago?" she asked.

Clary didn't reply.

The lady shrugged, before typing some stuff into the computer. "Uh, yes. Isabelle. Room 143." she stated with a small smile.

Clary and Jace were gone in seconds. Running down hallways, looking for the room. Clary's mind was racing. Simon's been taken. Isabelle's hurt, still unknown how badly. Jonathan's still missing. It's all because of me.

They reached the room and pushed the door open. Isabelle was sitting on the hospital bed, still in her black tank-top and jeans from earlier, but they now seemed to be cut and beat up. Her left wrist was bandaged and looked bruised, as well as her arms. She had a cut on her forehead that had a large white bandage over it and a slight blood stain under her nose. Sitting next to her on the bed, was Alec. He had his right arm wrapped around her shoulders and his left hand in her's. Rubbing small circles across them.

Isabelle didn't look at them when they came in. She kept staring down at her hands. "They said I was lucky." she said, tears welling up in her eyes. "H-how is this lucky?"

Clary walked over and embraced her friend in a warm hug. Isabelle didn't hesitate to hug back. Clary gave her a small squeeze. "I am so sorry Isabelle." she whispered before pulling away.

"It's fine. It wasn't your fault." Isabelle confirmed, wiping a stray tear away from her eye.

Clary wanted to believe her, but deep down she knew it would always be, in some way, her sat down in the chair next to the bed, and Jace soon joined her. She looked up for a moment, realizing someone was missing. Besides Simon that is.

"Alec?" she asked and he looked up from whatever he was staring at. "Where's Magnus?"

Alec looked at Clary, about to respond, when he suddenly looked over her shoulder at the door. "Well, he was at the scene with some other agents."

Clary gave him a look. "What do you mean 'was'?"she asked.

"Right here, Red." A voice said from just behind Clary. She jumped and raised her fist to punch whoever it was, but was stopped, mid-punch, by Jace, who had a strong hold on her wrist.

Clary looked up at the speaker, to see Magnus standing there, a stunned expression on his face as he stared at Clary's first. He then turned to Jace. "Is she always this jumpy?" he asked.

Jace shrugged. "Yep." he said, popping the 'p'. "Your lucky I caught her before she punched you. She hit's hard."

Clary dropped her fist. "I do not!" she said to Jace, before turning to Magnus. "Sorry about that." she apologised.

Magnus shrugged. "If I had reflexes like that, I'd probably do the same."

"It's a reflex!" Clary stated, exasperated, before slumping back down in her chair.

She was extremely jumpy today. Especially here. Last time she was here, it ended with her getting kidnapped and almost killed. And now with Simon and Jonathan gone, she was really on edge.

A hand came down on her shoulder and she jumped slightly, before she realized it was Magnus. He leaned down to her height and whispered something into her ear. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Clary nodded and stood slowly, giving Isabelle a quick hug before he and Magnus exited the room. He lead hr down the dreary, white halls to a storage closet, opened the door, allowing her to step in before he did the same and shutting it behind them. Leaving them in the dark.

"Did you find anything?" Clary asked, seconds before the lights came on.

Magnus turned to face her. "Just the light switch." Clary looked disappointed. She had a small hope that Armel had slipped up somewhere and would give them some idea of where Simon and her brother were. But, then he continued. "And this."

He pulled out a small envelope and held it out to her. on the front it read: Clarissa/Adele. Clary took it from him and opened the top of the envelope. There was something inside, as well as a letter. She pulled the letter out and read it.

Clarissa/Adele Fray/Morgenstern,

Since you obviously are not as smart as you think you are, I'm giving you a hint. But that hint will only be given to you in person. But, since you haven't figured out what those beautiful flowers were for, I've decided to tell you.

You will need to think about this one, but then again, your mother was a florist, it shouldn't be too hard. Look for where all three of those flowers are planted, and I will be there with your hint. 5:00 am. Sharp.

Bonne chance! -A.C.

Also, you're in luck. They have another 24 hours.

Clary re-read the note over and over. It was 4:00 am now, meaning she had an hour until she had to meet Armel. Perfect! Last minute date with a serial killer!

"What does it say?" Magnus asked. He had been watching her read the letter, but had no idea what was written on it.

Clary folded the letter and put it in her pocket. "Nothing." she said, reaching into the envelope for whatever was left inside. "Just another friendly reminder from Armel…" she trailed off as she pulled the object out.

They were Simon's glasses.

Sometimes I hate what I write. But hey, I got my projects done, so I will be starting the next chapter right after this one is up! How about that! Sorry for being away for so long. Dang it grade 9! Why you gotta do this to me!? ANYway, I read your reviews. All I got out of those were either 'Update soon!' or 'NO NO NO NOT SIMON PLEASEPLEEEEEASE NO!'. You will have to wait and see… there is still a lot to cover in this fic so hold on!

See you when I get a break from my homework! *cough* English *cough*

-TBBG