Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville/The Mortal Instruments

A/N: The Inquisitor's description is taken from the book.

Chloe stared at the stele in her hand. Jocelyn had given it to her soon after she'd taken over Chloe's Shadow Hunter training. The woman hadn't wanted the Institute training the blonde, and the girl had allowed her to become her mentor without any fight. From what Jocelyn had taught her about steles, Chloe now knew that they were not only the tools used by Shadow Hunters to draw runes on their skin, weapons and other materials, but that they were made of adamas (heavenly metal found beneath Idris used to make tools for Shadow Hunters) and that they were crafted by the Iron Sisters (which were like the female faction of the Silent Brothers and who made weapons for Shadow Hunters).

Steles did not harm demons due to the fact that they weren't designed to be used in direct battle with them, yet demons tended to recoil when exposed to a stele due to the heavenly adamas... or so she'd been told. According to the books on her obligatory reading list (all prescribed to her by Jocelyn) the first stele was believed to have been a rough oblong of adamas used by Jonathan Shadowhunter himself to inscribe the first Marks on his own skin.

In general steles looked like long, slender twigs, but their length and style varied depending on the owner's preferences. Apparently there were many different models of steles, and they had a sort of aura to them, a ghostly imprint of their owner's personality. Chloe wondered what that meant about her stele considering that its 'aura' was dark, a purple that was almost black with strands of silver woven throughout.

"Have you learnt those runes I showed you yet?" Jocelyn appeared in front of her.

Chloe contemplated telling Jocelyn she'd already known those runes, that somehow, without knowing how, she'd known every single rune Jocelyn had 'taught' her before the woman had ever shown her them. But every time she thought about admitting that, to anyone, she realized just how many questions that admittance would bring, questions she had no answer to. Until she could understand what was happening to her and why she knew all these runes she shouldn't know as yet, she wouldn't tell Jocelyn. Jace thought that it had something to do with the Mortal Cup having been inside of her, and Chloe hoped that it was true, because otherwise her only other answer was the taint in her veins.

She had nightmares sometimes of the night in her uncle's library, of what she'd done to that guy, images which had been repressed thanks to the block on her mind. She'd somehow used a letter opener to do something to that guy. She wasn't sure what though, much less how. Jace told her that it could've been a stele, considering that her uncle was half Shadowhunter but lived in the mundane world Jace thought it made sense that the General would have a stele that was bewitched to look like a normal letter opener.

Chloe wanted to believe that that was true, but she couldn't help but worry.

"Chloe?" Jocelyn prompted when the girl didn't answer. "It's okay if you haven't learnt them already. These things take time."

The girl looked up at the woman she'd forgotten was there and quickly burnt the runes on the stone in her hand. She then handed it back to Jocelyn.

The woman eyed the runes and shook her head. "Perfect." She bent on her knees in front of Chloe. "So why are you so down?"

"I'm not down."

Jocelyn reached out and chucked Chloe's chin. "Talk to me, kiddo." She took in a deep breath. "I know I'm not your mother, but I want you to know that I'm here for you whenever you need me to be."

"I'm fine, just a little tired. I have to make a bad interview and shoddy pictures work for the next edition of the Torch and my mind's on that." Chloe smiled at the woman who had been the only mother she'd known for too long, and while she felt guilty as always that Jace couldn't have this same experience with her, the girl smiled in her assurance that she'd work things out so that Jocelyn and Jace could be mother and son to each other. "Sorry for worrying you."

"No, don't be." Jocelyn moved to sit next to her. "Will Clark be coming over to help you with the Torch later on?"

Chloe nodded. "We're going to go to Java John's and get some coffee while looking over some things."

Jocelyn smiled. "He's a good guy."

"Yeah, he is." Chloe thought about her best friend and couldn't stop her smile. "I'm very lucky to have him."

Jocelyn patted her shoulder. "Well, don't stay out too late, and I would feel better if you-."

"-texted you every hour to make sure that I'm fine." Chloe finished that with a smirk, having heard this before. "I know. I'll do it." She eyed Jocelyn. "Maybe this will give you and Jace some time to talk to each other, one to one."

Jocelyn nodded yet didn't meet her gaze.

"He's a great guy, Joce." Chloe let out a sigh. "If you're able to care for me enough to worry the way you do, you must realize that means you're capable of caring for him too."

"I know." Jocelyn ran her hands down her face. "I'm trying."

"He's your son, and he has just as much at fault as whatever's running through his veins as I do." Chloe bumped her shoulder into Jocelyn's. "And you're being an amazing mother to me so I can't let you not be the same to him."

Jocelyn turned to her and looked like she wanted to cry. Instead she merely wrapped her arms around Chloe and hugged her tightly.

Chloe smiled and hugged the woman back.

Maryse had wanted Jace to say he hated Valentine, but the boy couldn't. The only person he'd been able to confide that to was Luke, and the werewolf had understood him because, like Jace, he'd once loved Valentine as well. Jace knew that this meant he was 'less trustworthy' than he would've been if he'd said he hated Valentine, but he'd have been lying just to make her feel better... and wouldn't that in itself make him more untrustworthy than he was now?

It was a lot to take in, and he sighed.

He didn't hate his father. He didn't hate him at all. Sure, he didn't trust the man completely, and sure, he didn't agree with some of his principles (because Luke just went to prove that Downworlders weren't a horrible species to be exterminated) but Jace could understand many of his father's teachings. He could understand his resentment and dislike of the Clave, could get why he wanted to change things and that he felt that the Mortal Cup should be used to create more of their dying race instead of being kept under lock and key where it was of no use to them.

He understood so much of what his father was trying to do. He realized that even if he hadn't been raised by his father the last couple of years, he was still very much his son. A part of him was revolted and another quite proud. He understood that what his father had done was wrong, that he'd done some things that people wouldn't be able to forgive, but Jace loved his father and knew without a doubt that if it hadn't been for Chloe he'd be at his side right now.

Funny thing was that he didn't resent Chloe for it. No. How he saw it, he'd made the decision on his own (although Lois had given some shoves here and there using his own insecurity against him) and until he knew everything his father had planned (especially for Chloe) Jace figured that this was the best option for them all.

Moira's words from the garden haunted him. "I know what he's told you... and I know what he hasn't told you." Then of course, there was always the: "She wasn't made for only you."

That thought always made Jace clench his fists in anger.

He leaned his head against the wall and stared up at the ceiling as a specific memory of that night drifted into his mind.

Jace felt cold as confirmation hit him straight in the gut. Chloe was a Wayland. She was his sister. He-he was in love with his sister. He desperately wanted his sister.

"Don't worry, that doesn't change the fact that I do not plan on killing her. Her not being my daughter makes her much more valuable to me than if she had been." The man spoke no sense. "You mightn't believe it now, Jonathan, but I want nothing more than for the both of you to be safe and sound."

Jace's eyes widened further. "How do you-?"

"We will find a way to remove the Mortal Cup from her without damaging her. She is not to be hurt, by anyone. That girl, and the Cup within her, are the corner stones to everything. And they both must be protected."

He was confused and disoriented. "What are you-?"

"I must admit, I am curious as to what your relationship is with her though." He once more didn't let Jace finish his question. "She is scared of me, erroneously so, obviously believing the lies that have been told about me, painting me as the villain in this story. And yet she tried to trade herself for you, for your safety." There was a pause. "You must be very important to her."

Jace felt his stomach clench at this. "That idiot did what?!"

There was a soft chuckle. "I see that she is important to you as well."

Jace didn't like this. "I don't know what your game-plan is, but if you think I'm going to fall for your words and just let you-."

"Jonathan." Valentine stepped forwards into the moonlight, letting it bathe him for the first time and reveal himself completely. "It's me."

Jace's breath left him in complete horror as he stared at the man he'd never thought he'd ever see again. "Father?"

"It is me, Jonathan." Valentine, his father, stepped closer.

Jace stepped back hurriedly as he shook his head. "No. I saw you killed!"

"I had to protect you, my son. Someone knew that I was alive and was threatening me. I knew the only way to keep you safe was to do what I did." Valentine's face was conflicted as he moved closer, carefully, as if approaching a wounded animal. "I have watched over you from afar and you've made me so proud."

Jace couldn't swallow past the large knot of emotion in his throat. "Why have you decided to make your move now?"

"Because I now have what we need." Valentine motioned to the girl sleeping in the bed. "I have my son, the Mortal Cup, and the girl who was created for such a time as this." He stepped closer. "Do you know how hard it was for me to keep from acting, to leave the both of you in the hands of the Clave?"

"You didn't even know what she was until a few days ago."

"And I regret that every day of my life." Valentine stepped forwards. "Had I known, my son, things would've been different. She would've been raised by her mother and I, would've been taught the way of the Shadowhunter, would've known why she was alive and that she was special. She would've been secure in knowing how fundamental she is in the new world order."

Jace's eyes narrowed. "And what makes her so important?"

"Don't you understand by now?" Valentine asked in confusion. "Don't you feel a tug to her, a need to be with her, damned whoever wishes to come between that? Damned the consequences? Damn everything and everyone else?"

Jace gulped. "What did you do?"

"I made her," Valentine smiled, "for you." He reached out and placed his hand on Jace's shocked shoulders. "That girl was created to stand by your side."

Jace stared up at the man and found he couldn't speak.

Valentine smiled. "That feeling in your chest, in your gut, when it comes to her? It's right." He squeezed Jace's shoulder. "I knew that you would not be able to accomplish what you needed to alone, that you would need support, and I made sure that you would have it. Together the children of the House of Morgenstern will be a mighty force that no one will be able to destroy. They will usher in a new era of enlightenment to this jaded, corrupt world. And I will be there to teach you, to show you the way." He smiled. "The Angel has brought you, the Cup, and her back to me. It is a sign, Jonathan."

Jace, seduced by those words, couldn't help but silently agree.

It was a sign.

The sound of Chloe humming Once Upon A Dream jerked him back to the presence, and he looked down at his phone. He'd recorded that on the sly when she wasn't paying attention to him, and had made sure she didn't have his password so she couldn't get back in and erase it as his ringtone, which was exactly what she'd wanted to do once she'd discovered what he'd done.

"Isabelle?" He answered the call.

"It's the Inquisitor," his adoptive sister spoke quickly. "She's here and she wants to meet you."

Jace took in a deep breath and nodded. "I'm on my way."

She paused. "She wants to see Chloe at the same time."

He narrowed his eyes. "Well, life is unfair, and we don't always get what we want."

Isabelle sighed. "I know you're trying to protect her, but you're making it look like she has something to hide."

Jace hesitated because Chloe did have something to hide. There was that fact that she might have the ability to make active runes without the help of a stele, and he didn't know how the Clave would take to that news.

"Bring her, Jace." With that Isabelle hung up.

He closed his eyes and cursed.

When Jace had called and told her what was going on, Chloe had had to then argue with Jocelyn over the situation. Jocelyn felt that she herself should go in and talk to the Inquisitor one on one, but Chloe didn't want to do anything that could be termed 'rebellious', not when she knew that everyone already had their eyes on them. Anyway, from what Jace had told her, as they were not considered adults in Idris they'd be allowed someone to go in as a silent guardian. Maryse would be Jace's, and Jocelyn could be Chloe's. That had soothed the girl somewhat, but she did wonder exactly why Lois hadn't been expected to make an appearance at this meeting and why it was only her and Jace being called.

Still, she didn't have time for thoughts as they arrived at the Metropolis Institute to be ushered to where Jace stood by the door to Hodge's office. A moment's panic entered her. The last time she'd been there Hodge had kidnapped them and restrained Lois. Yet the panic disappeared as Jace's hand found hers and squeezed tightly.

She turned to him and smiled softly, thanking him silently for being there for her and somehow knowing she needed reassurance at that time.

They entered the office once they were called for (Jace had wanted to just barge in, the boy obviously annoyed at having been 'summoned') and the moment they stepped through the door Chloe turned her greens on the woman within. She wore a long, old-fashioned dark gray cloak that fell to the tops of her boots, and beneath it was a fitted slate suit with a mandarin collar, the stiff points of which pressed into her neck. Her hair as a sort of colorless pale blonde, pulled tightly back with combs, and her eyes were flinty gray chips. They were cold and emotionless, with a hint of menacing.

"So you are the children."

"Yes Inquisitor," Maryse answered as she entered with Jocelyn and closed the door. "This is Jonathan Morgenstern and Chloe Wayland."

The woman rose with the tension of a snake about to uncoil and attack. "You will call me Inquisitor, nothing else. Do you understand?"

There was open hostility in those eyes, and Chloe bit back her defensive response to this, knowing that this wasn't the woman you messed with.

"It's not like your demand was highly taxing of the mind." Jace, of course, knew this woman wasn't to be trifled with (moreso than Chloe she supposed) and yet he of course would be defiant. "I'm sure we'll be able to remember so arduous a task."

Jocelyn visibly looked like she wanted to bring her palm to her face.

"I see." The Inquisitor smiled a terrible smile and then her hand yanked out to grab his chin. "You are intolerant of authority, just as your father was. Like the angel whose name you both bear." Her fingers gripped him so tightly that her nails dug viciously into his skin. "Lucifer was rewarded for his rebellion when God cast him into the pits of hell. If you defy my authority, I can promise that you will envy his fate."

"So you're God now, are you?" Chloe wouldn't have stopped those words even if she'd realized she'd spit that out angrily at the woman as she took a step towards her. When those cold eyes swished to her the girl felt the need to back down, but few drops of blood that dripped down Jace's face from where those nails were still digging in made Chloe feel vicious. "No matter how beneath Shadowhunters Mundanes are supposed to be, there's something we have that we like to refer to as: innocent until proven guilty." She stepped closer to the woman despite Jocelyn hissing for her to step away. "If the Clave allows you to physically hurt an underaged person just because there's a suspicion of him being against you, even when he's already agreed to a trial by which he'd not only be unable to tell the truth, but it would also hurt him… You're no better than bloodthirsty barbarians." She raised her chin and said something she knew wasn't smart. "At least Valentine was smart enough to be civil with his captives."

The woman yanked her hands from Jace's face, a drop of blood dripping from her fingernail as she turned to Chloe. "Your attitude betrays that you have been swayed by Morgenstern charm."

"Lady, I've been this mouthy my whole life. This is all me." Chloe glared at her. "This has nothing to do with Valentine Morgenstern. If I see a snotty old woman trying to abuse her power I'll call her out."

Fury flashed through the Inquisitor's eyes.

"Chloe please." Jocelyn hissed.

Chloe shot her a glare. "We've agreed to be tried by the Sword! We came here the second she asked us! But she's allowing her obvious bias against us to give her the right she thinks she has to treat us like this!" She turned to the woman. "Lady, you're being seriously unprofessional."

Jocelyn looked more and more like she wanted to do a face palm.

Maryse did bring her palm to her face.

Jace, on the other hand, smiled a crooked and proud smile at Chloe.

The Inquisitor glared between them before her gaze went to Jocelyn. "The Clave wonders how much of this is your fault."

"My fault?" Jocelyn scoffed.

"One is your son and the other has been taken under your wing." The Inquisitor moved between Chloe and Jace and placed a heavy and threatening hand on the girl's shoulder. "You refuse to allow the girl who housed the Mortal Cup for your husband to be trained by the Metropolis Institute or anyone affiliated with the Clave. One could think that you're back to your old ways and helping your husband in a second Uprising."

Chloe's mouth parted.

Jocelyn beat her to it. "It would do you good to remember, Imogen, that had it not been for Lucian Graymark, Moira Lanaera, and I, the Clave would no longer exist." She raised her head in an elegance the Inquisitor would never be able to pull off. "Maybe the Clave should spend less time wondering silly ponderings and stop being so forgetful about things that actually matter."

"I will be sure to let them know you feel that way." A muscle ticked in the older woman's cheek as she turned her cold gaze onto Maryse. "The Clave is also displeased with you and Robert over this matter. You are both the guardians of the Institute and are lucky that your records over the years has been relatively clean." Her lips pulled in a sneer. "Few demonic disturbances until recently, and everything's been quiet the past few days. No reports, even from Idris, so the Clave is feeling lenient." That sneer grew. "We have sometimes wondered if you'd actually rescinded your allegiance to Valentine. As it is, he set a trap for you and you fell right into it." She raised an eyebrow. "One might think you'd know better."

"There was no trap," Jace cut in. "My father knew the Lightwoods would raise me if they thought I was Michael Wayland's son. That's all."

The Inquisitor's eyes turned on Jace with so much hatred it startled and terrified Chloe. "Do you know about the cuckoo bird, Jonathan Morgenstern?"

Jace raised an eyebrow. "The what?"

"You see, cuckoos are parasites." She spoke as if he never had. "They lay their eggs in other birds' nests and when the egg hatches the baby cuckoo pushes the other baby birds out of the nest. The poor parent birds work themselves to death trying to find enough foo to feed the enormous cuckoo child who had murdered their babies and taken their place."

Chloe's lips parted in indignant fury at what had just been insinuated. Just who the hell did this woman—?

"Enormous?" That seemed to be the part that Jace was taking offense to. "Did you just call me fat?"

The Inquisitor was visibly taken aback for a split second before she raised her chin. "It was an analogy."

"I am not fat," Jace pressed.

"And I," Maryse finally spoke, "don't want your pity, Imogen. I refuse to believe that the Clave will punish either myself or my husband for choosing to bring up the son of a dead friend." She squared her shoulders. "It isn't as if we didn't tell them what we were doing."

The hand on Chloe's shoulder tightened almost painfully but she didn't react to the sensation, instead kept her face emotionless.

"And I've never harmed any of the Lightwoods in any way," Jace's voice was emotionless although his eyes were filled with righteous indignation. "I've worked hard, and trained hard - say whatever you want about my father, but he made a Shadowhunter out of me. I've earned my place here."

That grip on Chloe's shoulder went painful immediately. "Don't defend your father to me! I knew him! He was—is—the vilest of men."

"If you don't take your hand off of my girlfriend I'll show you just how vile I can be." Jace's golden eyes flashed with warning.

Chloe's gaze widened and went to him in surprise. She thought she'd kept the pain from her face. But obviously Jace had been keeping a worried eye on the Inquisitor's physical interaction with her as she had with him.

"Are you threatening the Inquisitor? The representative of the Clave?" There was almost a feverish glee to that face.

Jace wouldn't back down, his voice low. "I'm warning the woman hurting my girlfriend."

"Just like your father you are arrogant and cannot keep your temper." The Inquisitor let her hand fall from Chloe's shoulder. "The Lightwoods have coddled you and let your worst qualities run rampant. You may look like an angel, Jonathan Morgenstern, but I know exactly what you are."

"He's just a boy."

Both Chloe and Jace turned to look at Jocelyn in surprise at that defense.

"Valentine was just a boy once." The Inquisitor reminded coldly before her eyes turned on Jace. "Before we do any digging in your blonde little head for the truth I suggest you cool your temper." Her smile was ugly. "And I know just where you can do that best."

Jace blinked. "You're sending me to my room?"

That smile grew. "I am sending you to the prisons of the Silent City. After a night there I suspect that you'll be a great more cooperative."

Maryse gasped. "Imogen—you can't!"

"I certainly can." Her eyes gleamed like razors. "Take him away. He will have his trial after his time of reflection."

"You can't just lock him up because you don't like his lip!" Chloe snapped. "There's something called Human Rights!"

"It's fine." Jace's gaze was hardened on the Inquisitor but he spoke to his girlfriend. "I'll go without fight."

"But—." Chloe's resistance died at the look he gave her. Any argument she could have would only make matters worse. So she squared her shoulders and moved around the Inquisitor to throw her arms around her boyfriend and kiss him, deeply, not caring who saw.

Jace must've sensed her defiance because he chuckled softly as he kissed her back before he pulled away and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I will be fine."

She took in a deep breath and looked up at him. "So will I."

"Good." He gave her a small smile before he frowned at the Inquisitor. "I'm ready."

Chloe watched as the men who'd come with the Inquisitor escorted him out. She could hardly keep her temper, keep her tongue from spewing something that could either make things worse for him or end up with her locked up in a similar place, maybe with the Iron Sisters. If they were going to get through this one of them had to be free.

The second the door closed behind him, the Inquisitor turned to Chloe. "Come with me."

Her eyes narrowed in confusion. "Where am I going?"

"Isn't it obvious?" The Inquisitor raised an eyebrow. "You're going to your trial."

TBC