"Any word from the Clave?" Isabelle questioned Lydia when her and I came by her side, walking with her.

Everyone was stressed.

Not being able to find Jace was setting us all over the edge.

I pulled my white v neck shirt down to it's full length, as it ended right at the beginning of my thighs, covering a rip or two of my black ripped jeans I was wearing.

"Not yet, and we've been trying for the past four hours." Lydia lead us to the Ops Center, Magnus coming to my side and Alec came to Isabelle's, "Something's up."

"Mmm, the Clave being unhelpful?" Magnus hummed, holding one of Jace's sweatshirts, "Who's shocked? Show of hands?"

"I'm worried." Alec admits, "I can't sense Jace through our parabatai bond."

"We'll find him, Alec-" I assure him, "When we arrested Hodge, he said Valentine was on a ship- they must still be over water."

Lydia's eyebrows furrow, "Pull up the waterways around New York."

Isabelle does exactly that, the hologram shining between us all as we surrounded the monitor, "The ship couldn't have gone too far."

"Anything?" Alec looked at Magnus, panic threaded in his tone.

Magnus looked at him, from trying to track Jace from his Jace's sweatshirt, "Sorry."

"There's got to be something!" Alec raised his voice slightly, starting to breathe heavily.

"I don't see him." Magnus calmly said, sighing.

"All right, listen up!" Alec shouts, stepping forward, fainting everyone's attention, "I want 24/7 monitoring of the Hudson and East Rivers. If you see anything unusual, you come to me first."

"I've got this, Alec-" Lydia interjects, wanting him to calm down.

"Then why haven't you found Jace yet?" Alec rudely shot at her, and I could tell the worry was getting the best of him.

"Don't forget who you're talking to." Lydia was firm, "I am still the Head of this Institute."

Alec shot back, "And my brother is still missing!"

"Why don't you just take a break?" Isabelle stepped up, noticing how he could explode of anger.

"Not now, Izzy." Alec huffs, stepping back.

"Isabelle's right, and it's not a request." Lydia was strict with him, "You're dismissed."

"Fine!" Alec began to storm off.

"Hey, wait-" I gently say, grabbing his arm.

He turns, facing me, ripping his arm from my grasp, bursting, "Everybody, just back off!"

Then he turns, walking away quickly, leaving us all in silence.

-

I made my way into the Greenhouse quickly, "Clary, I need to talk-"

I jerk to a stop when I notice Jocelyn and my mother with her.

Clary got up the minute she heard my voice, as confusion was already crossing her features from something Jocelyn had just told her, "Yeah- what's up?"

"Never mind- we can talk later-" I tear my gaze away from Jocelyn and turn to walk away.

I hadn't spoken to Jocelyn since we broke the spell.

"Wait-" I heard Jocelyn's voice, feeling her catch my wrist, "Can we please talk-"

"I already have a lot on my mind- I really don't need you adding to it." I pulled my wrist from her.

"Just please-" She turned me around, "I know what I did was wrong. And I'm so sorry- I realize that even if I was trying to protect Clary, I shouldn't have completely cut you out of her life."

"Yeah- I got that. You lie and keep things hidden to protect your daughter." I cross my arms, "Even if it meant lying about our long lost brother, and how our father is a lunatic. Oh- and completely cutting me out of her life."

Jocelyn looks down shamefully, "I could never apologize enough. I'm just hoping that one day, you'll forgive me."

"She will." My mother stepped up, placing a hand on Jocelyn's shoulder, and I could tell she felt guilty, "She's my daughter. And you're like family."

Clary cuts in, "What did you want to talk about?"

"It was just- something with Alec-" I step back and away from Jocelyn's grip, "I should go talk to him."

I turn, waving at Simon and Luke who were walking in, before jogging out, looking throughout the Institute for Alec, but it was no use, because he wasn't inside.

I checked my last place, heading up to the roof, noticing his back turned towards me, looking over the city.

"I'm sorry for how I reacted before." He already knew it was me, and he didn't bother to turn, "It's not personal."

"I get it- it hits you the hardest." I softly said, walking over to him and next to him, "He's your parabatai. I know what you're going through."

"No, I- I don't think you do." Alec stammered, "Jace is a part of me. Through a rune, we are both physically and emotionally connected. If he dies, a part of me dies, too."

I looked at him, "Did you forget that Izzy's my parabatai?"

"You've never been in this type of situation with her, Zee." Alec faced me, "And I know he's out there- and he's in trouble, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it."

"Alec-" I sigh, "I know it's hard, and-"

It was like Alec didn't want to listen to another word I said, as he turned and began walking away.

I desperately spin and bust up, wanting to help, "Tell me what I can do."

Alec faces me, "Help me track Jace."

I stare at him, realizing what he meant, "Wait a minute-"

"I want to use our rune." Alec told me, "I just need you to ask Magnus to help- I need his magic for the pain."

"Alec-" I shook my head, my mouth dropping, "I can't do that."

Alec stares at me, "Why not?"

"The last time you used a rune to track Jace, it almost killed you." I shook my head, "It almost killed the both of you."

"Why can't you just do this one thing?" Alec raised his voice in anger and I could tell his emotions were getting the best of him, "After everything I've done for you?"

This confused me.

He then left me on the roof top alone.

I felt hurt.

I didn't like that he was taking all of his anger out on me. I was the one who went after him to see if he was okay. Maybe that's why I'm the only one who's went off on.

Unexpectedly, my eyes went wide and I suddenly felt a rush through my body, my hands tightly gripping the ledge.

It wasn't any normal rush.

It was a rush of demon blood, the demon blood that was now coursing through my veins.

I felt like I couldn't control it, as my eyes went completely black, my breathing ragged.

I squeeze my eyes shut, pinching the bridge of my nose and holding my breath.

The anger and upsetting feeling I felt was fueling the reaction of the demon blood mixed with my Nephilim.

I was unsure.

Was this how Valentine reacted?

Did he get the rush I was getting?

I was going to turn into him?

I push those thoughts away, as forced the rush down, my eyes going back to normal, as I breathe heavily, swallowing.

-

"What did I miss?" I quietly ask Isabelle when I came to her side, a few minutes late to the briefing.

"Not much." Isabelle mutters, "The queen's taking back her kingdom."

"We are at war." Maryse stood in front of the entire Institute, "Valentine now has the Mortal Cup, with which he is, no doubt, raising a new army, and one of our own has joined him."

"As a result, the Clave has declared a state of emergency at the Institute. Their first priority is to replace the current leadership, who they have deemed wholly ineffectual." Maryse continued to speak out, "It is an honor to introduce the newly appointed head of the New York Institute, Clave representative, Victor Aldertree."

Alec mumbles to Isabelle from behind us, "Did you know about this?"

"No." Isabelle quietly replies, "But- maybe this is why Dad went back to Idris."

Lydia scoffs, "Maryse went behind my back."

"My fellow Shadowhunters." Victor Aldertree stepped up and spoke, "It's an honor to be here with you all."

"We have to find Jace Wayland." Victor instructs, "He's a Shadowhunter, and we don't leave our people behind."

"The answer to his location may very well lie in this room." Victor said, "So, I wanna speak with everyone who went on a mission where Jace disappeared."

"One last thing." He looks at everyone, "Effective immediately, the Institute is on lockdown. But it's only temporary. Let's turn this institute around."

With that, he walks away, everyone parting.

I looked at Isabelle, "Wait, if we're on lockdown, who's out there looking for Jace?"

"We'll think of something." Isabelle assures me.

I sigh, as she grabs my hand, "Don't worry. Jace is tough. Valentine will never break him."

-

"Hey!" I heard Alec's voice from behind me as I was making my way towards the entrance of the Institute so I could leave, "Where are you going?"

"I'll figure it out on the way-" I kept walking, holding one of Jace's gloves in my hands, "My interview's done and I don't feel like being here anymore-"

"Wait, you're just-" Alec stopped following me, "You're not gonna help?"

I halt and spun to face him, "How am I going to help, Alec? I mean, I'm not going to get Magnus to help track Jace through your rune- so I'm not much help anyway. But of course- how could I not do what you ask of me- after everything you've risked- for me?"

Alec went silent, and just stared at me, his expression permanent on his face.

"You really don't get it, do you?" I scoff in dismay, "You didn't risk anything for me, you did it for you."

"What?" Alec stutters, "Are you seriously doing this right now? Right now?"

"Yes- I'm doing this right now." Anger burned in my chest, "I actually find it funny- because if you would've chosen to marry Lydia instead, that was your life being thrown away. Your life to be miserable- and lonely- not mine. Because quite honestly- I would've accepted it and moved on. You may have been here longer than I have- but I know when to control my thoughts. Emotions cloud your judgement, remember?"

"This isn't about us-" Alec shook his head, as I knew he was starting to get angry too, "This is about Jace- you're his best friend and you're not even trying to help find him-"

"You made this about us, Alec!" I stare at him as if he was out of his mind, "And the way you want me to help is dangerous. I want Jace back as much as you do- but there's no way I'd give into you risking your life- you know that."

"Jace is my parabatai." Alec made it clear, raising his voice, "Nobody wants him back more than I do-"

"Why am I even trying with you anymore?" I bust up, arguing back, "Every conversation we've had has just ended up in a huge argument and it makes me feel like it's my fault because all you're doing is pushing me away and treating me like-"

Alec yells, just as frustrated with me as I was with him, "Well, then, what do you want from me?"

"Nothing!" I shout back, "This is exactly why I don't do relationships!"

Silence fell between us, as I huff deeply in defeat, turning around, starting to head in the direction I was previously going in.

But then, abruptly, the alarm starts blaring loudly, causing me to jerk to a stop noticing the blinking red lights.

"Damn it-" I mutter, turning back around and walking past Alec, into the Ops Center.

"Who sounded the alarm?" Alec followed me as we met up with Isabelle and Clary when we came to the center.

I looked around, "What's going on?"

"Oh, no-" Clary whispers when her eyes landed on the hologram of Jace with wanted written in red, "Aldertree said he wanted to rescue Jace."

"Actually, Clary, I said I wanted to find him." Aldertree walked in, "And you gave me the clue I needed to do just that."

Alec and I looked at her and spoke in unison, "What did you tell him?"

Clary blinks, "I-"

"Is this everyone?" Aldertree looked around, "Fantastic."

"First up, all Downworlders are forbidden from entering the Institute without my prior approval." Aldertree came to the center, "For those still present, good day."

He looked at Luke, "Mr. Graymark."

"I'm not leaving Jocelyn." Luke told him, "Besides, my badge gives access to resources that you don't have. I can help you find Jace."

Aldertree wasn't phased, "That's generous of you, but I'm going to have to insist."

"Call me when you can." Luke nods towards Jocelyn, slowly walking away.

"You, too- Simon." Aldertree stood in front of him, "Simon, right?"

"It's almost dawn." Simon said, "I don't have anywhere to go."

"Hey, you're a smart guy." Aldertree didn't seem to care, "I'm sure you'll figure something out."

"Simon, come on." Luke gestured, as they slowly left us.

"Now- let's get to it." Aldertree claps, "I've reviewed your statements, along with the reports of your unsanctioned missions."

Aldertree stood tall, "And I can come to no other conclusion that Jace Wayland is a traitor to the Clave."

"What?" I blink, processing what he just said, "How can you say that?"

"Jace is not a traitor." Alec cuts in, staring at Aldertree.

"Point of fact." Aldertree mentions, "Clary said Jace called to warn you about Valentine's trap, which got me thinking Jace had multiple chances to kill Valentine, but chose to let him leave. Now, Valentine, Jace, and the Cup are missing- do the math."

"There is no way we're going to help you hunt Jace." Clary spoke up, straightforward.

"And I'd never ask you to." Aldertree had a grin on his face from being in power, "You and your friends are prohibited from any further involvement for the hunt for Jace Wayland."

Isabelle's eyes went wide, "What?"

"The rest of you, back to work." Aldertree instructs, "I'm lifting the lockdown on the Institute, except for Clary and Jocelyn. Given your relationship to Valentine and Jace, I want to keep a close eye on you."

Clary blurts out, "This is ridiculous!"

"Clary-" Jocelyn began.

"No! We cannot just sit around." Clary cuts her off, "Okay, they're going to kill Jace. He's your son."

Jocelyn exhales, "I know you think you understand this world, but you don't."

"Dismissed!" Aldertree calls out, shutting them up.

Alec, Isabelle and I followed Aldertree as I was the first one to speak, "You can't do this."

"See, that's the thing about being the boss." Aldertree looked down at me, "I can and I did.

"Then revoke the dead-or-alive order." Isabelle tried, "Jace is one of us."

Aldertree stepped closer, "Challenging the authority of the head of the Institute is grounds for severe punishment, including de-runing."

With that, he walked away.

-

I stood in the dark, on the grass outside of the Institute, a few feet away. I held Jace's glove tight in my hands, my eyes screwed shut as I tried to track him, even if I couldn't sense him anywhere.

I was just hoping that he would appear someone and I would feel him.

"I'm not good at apologies-" Alec's voice filled my ears from behind me, the cool breeze hitting my back and bare arms, "But, I'm- I'm sorry."

I don't respond, staying focused, keeping still as I attempted to track Jace down.

"I'm- really, really sorry." He apologized once more, noticing how I didn't respond, then I heard his footsteps come closer and stop in front of me, a foot or two ahead on me. "Look, can you just cut that out for a second?"

I stop, my eyes snapping open in irritation, as I shoved the glove into my back pocket, sighing deeply through my nose, crossing my arms and giving him my undivided attention.

"You were right." Alec admitted, his eyes connecting with mine, "When I called off my wedding, that was for me. But- this is all just- It's very new."

"Being in an actual relationship?" I stare at him, "This may come as a shock to you- because this isn't my first time doing anything with guy- but I've never actually committed to anyone. I've never invested myself into a relationship with someone- I've never let myself feel that way. So- as a matter of fact, you're new for me too."

"Look, with Jace missing, it's just like-" Alec stammers as he tried to find the right words, "The ground has shifted, and I can't keep my balance-"

I roll my eyes and drop my arms, starting to walk past him, feeling the need to just walk away from this conversation

"Just- please- wait-" Alec grabbed my arm quickly, holding a firm grip on me, keeping his eyes connected with mine, "I didn't mean to take it out on you- I'm sorry."

I stare at him for a few seconds, then my expression softened when I noticed the sincerity in his eyes, "It's okay."

Alec lets go of my arm, "Really?"

"Yeah- I forgive you." I nod gently, stood in front to him, fixing his jacket, "You're also great at apologies."

Alec broke out into a smile he couldn't help, as his arms slowly wrapped around me.

He leans his forehead against mine, gently pressing his lips into mine for a few seconds.

"Thanks." Alec whispered when he pulled away, keeping our faces close, "I've been working on it."

"Alec-" I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling my face away, looking at him, "In our line of work, there's always going to be some sort of challenge. When things get worse- and you're upset about it- don't push me away."

"I won't." Alec said to me, putting a strand of my hair behind my ear, "From now on, I won't."

I slip away from his grasp and hold my hand out for him to hold, "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Alec questioned, grabbing my hand, intertwining our fingers.

"Just- come on." A small smile played at my lips as I pulled him along with me, heading away from the Institute.

-

"So- why the walk and ice cream?" Alec questioned, licking some ice cream from his cone, walking down the empty sidewalk with me, referring to how I had taken him on a walk and got us both ice cream.

"Well- when I was living life as a mundane, and I would be upset- over actual serious matters- my mom chauffeured me around town and get me ice cream to make me feel better and get my mind off everything." I told him, holding my cone, "Now that I'm a Shadowhunter- this is my alternative because I don't own a car and forgot how to drive."

Alec simply smiled and grabbed my hand, "You know- we're both new at this relationship thing, but so far, I think we're doing a good job."

"You think so?" I looked at him, giving him a small smile.

"Yeah." Alec's mouth turned up, as I knew I had gotten his mind off everything going on.

Even if it was for the smallest moment.

It made me feel happy.

Suddenly, a thought pops into my mind.

I pretend to sniff the frozen dessert in my hand, "Alec- mine smells weird."

Alec shot me a look in confusion, "It smells weird?"

"It smells weird." I nod in confirmation, then lift my hand up, stopping so the cone is a few inches away from his nose, "Smell it."

Gullible, Alec sniffed it, "It smells fine to me-"

My hand moved, as I shoved the vanilla goodness into his nose, a gasp leaving Alec's lips.

I broke out into a fit of giggles, as Alec couldn't help but break out into a smile also, "Really?"

I continued to laugh softly, as he tossed out his mostly finished cone, taking mine off his nose and tossing it out also, vanilla ice cream drooping off his nose.

I bite my lip to hold back more laughter, as I reached up, using a napkin to wipe away the vanilla ice cream, turning and tossing out the used napkin.

He takes advantage of holding my hand and pulls me back into him, connecting our lips once more, as I could feel his smile in our kiss.

A cool breeze hits my bare arms once more, as I unintentionally shiver, pulling away from the kiss.

Alec slipped off his jacket, leaving him in just his shirt, wrapping it around me, "In all the mundane chick flicks you've showed me, I've seen this happen in all of them."

"I'm pretty sure you've fallen asleep half the time." I slip my arms through the huge holes, looking up at him with a small smile.

Alec grins in response, wrapping an arm around me as we walked down the sidewalk, as we were now heading back to the Institute.

"I think this qualifies as our first date." I looked up at him, slipping my arms into the pockets of his jacket I wore.

"First date accomplished," Alec softly joked, "We're professionals."

I barely ever saw this side of him, as I was enjoying it.

I walked with him, when suddenly he stops, shock, confusion and determination crossing his face.

"What?" I stopped also and looked at him.

"Jace-" Alec looked at me, "I sense him- he's on land."

I fish out the glove from my back pocket, activating my tracking rune, as I held the glove tight, already sensing him.

"Aldertree probably already knows-" I looked at him, "He's going to go after Jace."

"We have to stop him-" Alec began.

"No- you get Aldertree to call off his men- I'm going after Jace." I began running in the direction I was sensing him from, "I'll meet you there!-"

-

"You're done!" I heard Jace shout, making me quicken up my pace, "You're done."

"You can't kill me." I heard a more feminine voice, "I surrender to the authority of the Clave."

"Aw, look at you." The voice taunted, "You got your stick all ready to go and now you can't use it."

"No, you broke the Accords- you killed innocent mundanes." He stammered, "And now, you're gonna die just like your friends."

"But unlike them, I'm no longer a threat." She sneered, "I know my rights."

"Your rights?" Jace repeated.

"Yeah, my rights." Her tone had because serious, "I might have broken the Accords, but I know you won't."

Jace's voice got closer as I ran faster, "You don't know anything about me."

"I know you're weak." She taunted once more, "I can smell it. And you'll do whatever the Clave tells you to do."

Then they came into sight.

Jace was holding a stick towards a vampire, Valentine stood behind them, a standing portal right the both of them.

"Jonathan." Valentine watched him, "Are you going to let her mock you after what she did? This thing in front of you- she was once Reggie the pizza guy's sweet and loving wife."

"You leave my husband out of this!" The woman bursts, hissing, revealing her fangs further.

"You mean the man you murdered?" Jace held his ground, "You mean the man you devoured? That's what you mean."

What was he about to do?

I picked up my speed, shoving Jace's glove into my pocket, skidding to a stop a foot or two away from them, going wide eyed when the vampire snarls and runs into Jace, disappearing into nothingness when Jace inadvertently killed her.

Jace went frozen, staring at where the woman once was, his eyes trailing from the weapon that had just killed her and the absence of her body in front of him.

"Ah, that's my boy." Valentine said in satisfaction, then his eyes trail to me when he heard my footsteps, her eyes widening.

"Jace-" My voice was filled with shock, my eyes glued to him, my breathing heavy due to running as fast as I could.

Jace's head snaps up to my voice, as he stuttered, "I- I didn't mean to-"

"You're alive." Valentine took a step closer to me, as if he was staring at this latest creation, my head snapping towards him, "The elixir worked."

I stare at him, holding my ground, "What?"

I was completely caught off guard when an arrow flies right by my shoulder and toward Jace, as Valentine jumped in front of him, taking the arrow, groaning.

I spun around, my eyes landing on Jocelyn Fray, holding a crossbow.

"What the hell?" I blurt out, "What're you doing?"

"Run, Jonathan!" Valentine called out, "They want you dead."

"Mom, stop!" I heard Clary's scream as Jocelyn loaded up the next arrow, Simon right next to Clary as they ran towards.

As Jace grabbed Valentine and started running towards the portal, Valentine grabbed my wrist, pulling me along unexpectedly.

authors note:

awh they had their first date

vote and comment loadsss :))