We followed Clary as she enter the Institute, "How can Shadowhunters be better than- than what you people call mundanes?"

"Because we protect humans." Isabelle told her, as we all came to a stop in the middle of the hall.

"You're right. Humans. You protect humans." Clary faces us, "You left Simon all alone in the van. Great job, guys. You rock."

"Do not put this all on her." I warn, crossing my arms.

Clary faces me, "She left Simon all alone!"

"That does not give you any right to blame her!" I fought back, starting to walk closer to her, "She was protecting him- she was doing what she told you she would."

Alec grabs my arm and holds me back, staring at her, "There is some truth to the idea that human beings should have a modicum of common sense."

I hit Alec's arm lightly, sighing, Isabelle rolling her eyes, "Alec, not now."

"Look, they won't do anything to Simon." Jace crosses his arms, "They just wanted to draw you out. They want the Cup, and they think you have it."

"But why do they think that?" Clary blurts out, "Why does anyone think that? What, my mom lies to me my entire life except, "Oh, by the way, there's this magic cup, I hid on, like, the planet Bongo, but don't tell anyone." What am I supposed to do now?"

"We have to report to the Clave." Alec starts to walk down the hall, letting go of me, "They have to know we've learned about Valentine."

"Alec, wait-" I went right after him and grabbed his arm, stopping him.

He halts, looking back at me.

"What, that he's my father?" Clary cuts in, then looks at me, spite filled in her tone, "That the biggest threat to the world is the father to one of their best Shadowhunters? Great. Fine. Tell them. What good does that do Simon?"

"Awh-" I put a hand to my heart, choosing to ignore her attempt to hurt me, "You called me one of the best."

"Guys, it's all connected." Jace looks at us, "The vamps want the Cup."

"Why? It makes new Shadowhunters." Clary questioned.

"Nobody wants Valentine forming an army loyal to himself." Alec rolls his eyes.

Isabelle adds in, "Plus, it controls demons."

"They'll propose a trade." Jace spoke, "Simon for the Cup."

"So, vampires will trade Simon for the Cup and Valentine will trade my mother for the Cup- either way, I lose someone I love." Clary leans against the wall, "What if I just toss it up in the air and let them fight it out among themselves?"

Alec pushes, "So this doesn't matter to you?"

"Yes, of course, it matters!" Clary blurts out, then sighs, looking at Jace, "Listen when you saved my life I put my trust in you. Now, I need you to put your trust in me. I can't turn into what you are overnight."

"Finally- you get it." I cross my arms, sighing, "She's right- she was raised as a mundane- she has no idea what she's doing."

"What are you, her spokesman now?" Alec looks down at me.

"I don't need a spokesman, I need a plan." Clary walks away from us and into the Ops Center, "Uh, look at all this stuff, these screens. I mean, can any of this help me find Simon?"

I sigh deeply, following her, as the others followed me, Clary continuing, "Where is he, anyway? Some kind of crypt in Transylvania?"

"Actually, no." Jace stood next to me, "That was Camille's outfit, right? They're locals."

Isabelle sat down, "They're at the Hotel DuMort, down in Gansevoort Street."

"And we came back here?" Clary looks at us, "Why? We have to go there. Let's go, now, come on-"

"We need a Clave resolution for that." Alec looks at her.

"The five of us can't declare war on the vamps all by ourselves." Isabelle agrees with him.

"And we can't react without considering our options." Alec spoke as I sat on the table with Isabelle, looking at them all, "Downworlders are slaves to their impulses. We're not."

"Alec, you can't just jump on all the Downworlders." Isabelle softly smiled.

"Oh, that's right." Alec softly chuckles, "Seelies have their charms, apparently."

"Seelies?" Clary questions.

"Like faeries." Jace explained, "The Fair Folk. Add pixies, nixies, elves anybody half-angel, half-demon. It's pretty much a catch-all term."

"Izzy can tell you all about them." I nudge her, smiling.

"Yeah-" Alec smiles, "She's got a thing."

Isabelle glances between Alec and I, "We've all got our things, don't we?"

"Okay, I can't listen to this." Clary steps away, "Simon's been kidnapped by vampires. I guess I'll just take care of it myself."

"Clary, you're gonna get yourself killed." Jace sighs, as Clary turns and starts to walk away.

"Clary-" I call out, "Simon too!"

Clary halts, then walks back over, "Then help me."

"While we consider other options, my best friend is suffering." She went on, "Is that something Shadowhunters understand or am I just being a mundane?"

"Geez- you act like we're heartless." I ran a hand through my hair, getting off the table, standing next to Jace.

"They made the first move." Jace exhales, "We're gonna take care of this ourselves, right now."

Alec shook his head, "This is a bad idea."

"What, have you got a better one?" Jace questions, "Look, the vamps broke the Accords. They kidnapped a mundie. That's a big no-no. The Clave will give us a lecture and then they'll be glad we did it."

"Hard to argue with that." Isabelle was already down for it.

Alec looks at me, "I'm in if you're in."

"Of course she's in-" Jace nudges me, "She's my best friend. She always carries out any idea with me."

"I'm in-" I roll my eyes, "Only because I've been tied down by the best friend card."

"Okay- fine- but even if we went ahead, I don't see how we get out of here without having to explain where we're going." Alec wanted to go through everything, "We need weapons, and we can't let anyone see us get them."

Jace looks at us, "I know where to get what we need."

-

"Whose grave is it?" Alec questions once we got out of the van, walking through the church yard.

"Mary Milligan, born January 10th, 1802." Isabelle read from her phone, "Died, January 10th, 1878."

Jace nods, "All right, Alec, let's go."

"Wait, what are we looking for?" questioned Clary.

"Cache of weapons." I cross my arms, "Stashed here with Mrs. Milligan."

"Why are there Shadowhunter weapons in a churchyard?" Clary questioned further.

"Because all of the ancient religions recognized demons." Isabelle answered, "Or at least they used to."

Alec picked up where she left off, "They forgot about the threat because we've been here to protect them. Typical mundane failure of imagination."

"Are you saying we did too good a job?" Isabelle questions, "You just can't let up, can you?"

"You know what?" Jace stops, "Alec, why don't you go check out by the angel?"

Alec rolls his eyes, walking away.

"Excellent- he's home." Isabelle smiles at her phone moments later, "I'm outta here."

"Don't take too long-" I nudge her.

Isabelle smiles, "That depends on him-"

"Wait, aren't you coming with us?" Clary questions, looking away from Jace.

"Oh, I wouldn't miss it for the world, but I gotta find out how to get into the vampires' lair." Isabelle waves, walking away.

Jace calls out, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Jace- Zee, over here." Alec calls for us.

I sigh, walking over to him, "In need of my assistance?"

"In need of your listening and understanding skills." Alec's eyebrow raises.

Jace walks over to us, "What's up?"

"We're crossing a line into vamp territory." Alec looks at the both of us.

"That's the point." Jace pats his arm, "Come on, Alec, cheer up. It's going to be fun."

"I've been dragged into this by Jace so-" I drag on, "Yes- this will be fun."

"Damn it, just think this through." Alec pushes, looking at Jace, "You don't even like this guy." He then looks at the both of us, "This isn't about the mundane, this is about Clary."

He then looks back at Jace, "What, are you so desperate to get laid that you'll risk killing us?"

"Alec- Clary's my sister." I stare at him, "I'm going to help her- not matter how much she hates me."

"Wow, um, there's so much in that- that was wrong, I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear it." Jace gestures to Alec.

"That's the problem- you're not listening. Not to this or anything else I've said tonight." Alec went on, "You don't even know this girl. Why do you trust her?"

"Is this about her being Valentine's daughter?" Jace questions, stepping closer, "Haven't we been through this?"

"Wow-" I come between them, looking at them, "Listen- okay- let's both just take a deep breath-"

"You can trust her, or not- I don't care, that's not my business-" Jace stares at Alec, "But- I trust Zee- with my life. If she trusts Clary, I will. So if you can't trust either of us-"

The conversation was cut short when Clary's voice filled our ears, "Jace! Alec! Zee! I think I found it! Mary Milligan!"

I exhale, walking away from them and over to Clary, "Beloved servant? Who wants that on a headstone?"

"Someone who is in service to a cause greater than themselves." Alec walks over.

"At least she is now." Jace grabs his stele, "Abracadabra."

Clary's eyebrows furrow, "Wait, you people actually say that?"

I shot her a look, "No, Clary, we don't."

Jace traces the angelic rune, him and Alec moving the stone, revealing all of the weapons instead, Clary gasping, "Whoa- where's Mrs. Milligan?"

Clary grabs a blade, Alec looking at her, "Don't touch that. You don't know how to use it."

"What, like at Pandemonium when I killed that demon?" Clary stepped up in challenge.

I roll my eyes and grab a seraph blade, "You didn't kill that demon, Jace did."

"Thank you-" Alec huffs, rolling his eyes in irritation.

Clary looks at me, "Not helping."

"I wasn't trying to help." I held the blade, looking at Jace, "I can make do with a seraph blade- but I'm use to my kindjals."

"I'm gonna show her the right way to use it." Jace told us, "Do you see what you need in here?"

"No- there's no bow here." Alec sighs, "I need one. I have to rune some arrows. That's back at the Institute. I gotta go."

"Well, how are you gonna get back in the Institute?" Jace questions.

"Go in the back." Alec simply said and looks at me, "Do you wanna come? That way you can grab your kindjals. They won't bother if it's just us."

"You just saved me from being a third wheel." I put the seraph blade down and hid behind Alec.

"Okay, good." Jace nods, "I can finish up here."

"Hey- I understand what we need to do." Alec spoke after Clary steps away, "And I trust you, parabatai but don't ever doubt me. No matter what I said."

"It's already forgotten." Jace shakes his hand.

I walked over, "Jace- keep an eye on her for me, okay?"

"Won't take my eyes off her." Jace nods, taking notice of the look on my face and already knowing what it was about, "Hey- I promise she'll come around."

"I can only hope." I exhale deeply through my nose.

He gave me a high five, the both of us following it with a snap, "I'll see you at dawn."

"At dawn." I nod, giving him a weak smile, before leaving with Alec.

-

I placed my dual kindjals in the holsters attached to my belt, after changing into a thermal sweater, one that was black and loose.

Alec had grabbed his bow and was runing some arrows, when Hodge walked in, sipping a warm liquid from his mug.

"Zee- Alec." Hodge looks at us, "Didn't know you were here."

I stammer, Alec speaking out, "Yeah, no, we, uh-"

"Don't tell me." Hodge swallows, "I don't wanna have to report you."

I hesitate, "It's just that, you know, Clary is-"

"That girl is Valentine's-" Hodge stops, the circle rune on his neck sizzling, "The monster's daughter- as are you. There must be some reason why the roaches are coming out of the woodwork again, right?"

"I guess- you could say that." I clear my throat.

"I'll leave you to it." Hodge nods, turning around.

"Hodge-" Alec calls out, "Thank you."

Hodge faces us once more, "You remind me of me, Alec. A loyal friend standing in the shadow of the chosen one."

My eyebrows furrow as I stared at them.

"Don't make the same mistakes I did." Hodge stared at Alec, "Look where it got me."

-

"Izzy-" I call out, jogging up the stairs with Alec, noticing her now in a bright red dress, "We got your text. Where are we exactly?"

"It's an old meatpacker's service entrance. If we go back there, we come up into the basement of the Hotel DuMort." Isabelle points, "Perfect, right? We distract the vamps, Clary and Jace have time to find Simon."

Alec simply spoke, "Okay."

"Okay?" Isabelle repeats, "It was hard work interrogating Meliorn to get this intel."

Sarcasm dripped through Alec's monotone, "Great job, Izzy."

My eyebrow raises, humor threaded in my tone, raising my hand up, a smirk playing on my lips, "Sticking your tongue down his throat was hard work?"

Alec high fives me, glancing at the silver dust on her chest, "You have faerie dust on your dress."

Alec walks through the opening, "And I hate being the distraction."

"I don't." Isabelle smiled, "You know, you'd be a lot happier if you weren't so freaking repressed."

"This seems like a sibling matter so- I'm gonna stay out of it." I mutter, following Alec, moving ahead.

"Alec?" Isabelle calls out when he doesn't reply to her, "Hello?"

Alec rolls his eyes, following after me, as we went down the hall.

"You're really not gonna talk to me, are you?" Isabelle decided to push it, walking right behind Alec.

"That's because you have no idea what you're talking about." Alec rolls his eyes once more.

"But- I do." Isabelle sighs, "You can hide it from her- but not me. You have feelings, whether you like 'em or not, Alec."

"Are we talking about the girl Alec's head over heels for?" I tease, looking at him, but for some reason there was a weird feeling in my chest as we had that conversation.

Alec shoots Isabelle a look, climbing up the ladder, "This is not the time or the place, Izzy."

"I don't know." Isabelle shrugs, looking at me, "Looks pretty smooth so far, right?"

"I guess so-" I follow Alec up.

"This must be the way." Isabelle opens the door, only for a few vampires stood right on the other side.

My eyes went wide, as we all immediately shut the door and tried to keep it closed as the vampires threw themselves against it.

"Well, not that smooth-" Isabelle sighs and looks at Alec, rushing him to get his stele out, "Any day now."

Alec scoffs, "Yeah, if you hold the door still, it might be a lot easier-"

Alec grabs out his stele and starts to draw the rune, but it fades almost instantly, "It's not taking it."

"Damn it-" I went to the pipes, grabbing out my seraph blade, slicing off a piece and putting it between the handle and the bar.

"Whoever said, "The pen is mightier than the sword," was an idiot." Isabelle high fives me, as we moved away from the door and prepared ourselves for what would come when it was opened.

Alec shrugs, "When you're right, you're right."

"Do you think they know where we are?" Isabelle looked at us.

"That's the idea, right?" I put my seraph blade away, "How long do you think we have to distract them for?"

"Ten more minutes." Isabelle smiles.

"Ten minutes? Are you kidding?" Alec readies his bow, "We're liquid lunch in five."

"So- let's distract them." Isabelle stared at the door.

Alec nods, "So- let's distract them."

"You better get ready." Isabelle warns, the door prying open, Isabelle using her whip to get the first vamp, Alec shooting his arrows, as I pulled out my kindjals, tossing the daggers at them, killing two.

"This is fun." I picked up my weapons, readjusting my grip.

"Couldn't agree more-" Alec readied another arrow.

Isabelle smiles, calling out, "Keep coming, boys!"

-

Alec, Isabelle and I ran towards Clary's screams and Jace's shouts, walking into the room, Jace on the ground, two vampires overpowering him, Clary being held by one that was twice her size.

He held Clary to his chest, using her as leverage, Clary's eyes wide with fear.

"Clary- duck-" I stepped closer, throwing one of  dagger's right for his head, Clary ducking right away, the vampire vanishing into thin air.

Clary grabbed the seraph blade on the ground, walking over to Jace, a vampire throwing himself at her, Clary killing him, as Jace finished it off with the other.

Clary stared at where the vampire once was, "I killed him."

"To be fair-" I grabbed my dagger, "He was already dead."

"Plus, he wanted to kill you." Isabelle walks over, "Remember that. She did great, right?"

"Yeah, you did." Jace nods, "You should be proud."

"Thanks, but it's not about me." Clary sighed, "Let's go find Simon."

We made our way through the building, hearing Simon's shout of Clary's name.

I held a tight grip on my daggers, walking right into the room the man who had kidnapped Simon in the first place holding a knife to his neck, "All right, pointy teeth- hand him over."

"Simon!" Clary calls out, starting to rush over to Simon.

"Clary!" Jace stops her, "That's not gonna do any good."

"Listen to him, Clary Fairchild." He stared at us, "Put it away."

We all stood still, the man continuing, "I've had more than enough of your friend for one day. I'd love to cut his throat. Don't give me a reason. Put it away!"

A huff leaves my lips as we all put away our weapons, obeying him.

"Simon-" Clary swallowed, "Simon, are you all right?"

"I wouldn't say all right-" Simon began to stammer.

"Stop talking!" The man shouts, "Now if you would all just follow me."

"Let's go! Come on, let's go!" He lead and forced us down a narrow path that lead up to the door on the roof, "Up here now! That's right, get down there now- get down there or I'll kill him right now!"

"Look, we're not gonna hurt you." Clary breathes, "We just want Simon."

"I'm glad you do-" He stared, "We don't! We wanted you."

Clary steps up, "Well, here I am-"

"Stop!" Jace pulls her back.

"I said wanted." He spat, "Not my idea. Now, get out- go!"

"Not without the mundie-" I fought back.

"Shut up!" He shouted at me, "Open that door right now or I'll kill him right here."

"Listen to him!" Jace looks at us, Alec opening the door right away, Isabelle stepping out.

"But Simon will die if-" Clary began.

Simon cuts her off, "Clary, go!"

"Wait-" I began, only to get pulled out by Alec.

"Go!" The man yelled, then shoved Simon in Jace's direction, "Take him! Go!"

"I don't know how to thank you." Simon stammers.

"Don't thank me." He spat, "You mean nothing. This is about Valentine and the chaos he can bring."

"Come on!" Jace pulled Simon out, Clary stumbling out herself.

"Jace Wayland!" The man yelled after him, "Remember who your friends are."

Jace shuts the door quickly, letting out a sigh.

Simon looks at us, stammering, "Shouldn't we get the hell out of here?"

I looked at him, "Why, Simon?"

"They're right downstairs." Simon points out.

"Let them come after us." Jace shrugs, "They'll just turn into a bunch of fried eggs out here."

"Right-" I cross my arms, "I thought you said you watch movies."

"Oh, my god- oh, my god, it's over. It's actually over." Clary went over to Simon as Isabelle, Jace, Alec and I stepped onto the higher platform, "I was so afraid I would lose you. But it's true, you're actually here."

"You know I'd do anything for you." Simon held her face.

Clary breaks out into a smile, "You don't have to die!"

"I'd rather not do that." Simon chuckles and hugs her.

"I couldn't live without you." Clary honestly told him.

Simon held her face, "Say that again-"

I turn away, looking at Alec and Jace, my eyes rolling to the back of my head, my mouth opening, my tongue sticking out, my pointer and offending finger pointed towards my mouth, making an inward moment, gesturing that I could throw up.

Alec purses his lips to hold back a smile, Jace simply chuckling.

"Well- no accounting for taste." Isabelle reapplied her lipstick.

"Yeah, you should talk." Alec rolls his eyes then looks at Jace, "Look, can I just say one thing?"

Jace sighs, "You will, whatever I say, so shoot."

"You think you know Clary, right? But- you may not." Alec began, "Think about who her father is."

"I know Zee." Jace shot back, "And Zee knows her sister. And- you're acting as if we didn't find out that Zee was his daughter too- and guess what? I still trust her with my life."

Alec huffs, "Jace- don't bring Zee into this-"

"You know what, Alec?" Jace looks at him, "Do not start this again with me, Alec."

"She just came out of nowhere, Jace." Alec stepped closer to him.

Jace also stepped closer, "She has no one."

"Just listen to me for one second-" Alec and Jace started to bicker.

I came between them, my hands on their chests, "Jace- Alec, stop!"

Their eyes land on me, along with everyone else's.

I exhale sharply, my tone falling soft, "Just stop."

Alec shook his head and looked at his parabatai, "I'm older than you, Jace. I'm not in your shadow."

Jace's arms drop to his sides, "If you really feel that way about her- why did you help us tonight?"

Alec paused, his eyes shifting towards me.

He stepped back, shaking his head in dismissal, then turns, walking away.

authors note:

oh wowowow this feels like a short chapter

uh i kinda love zee and alec in here

oh and clary's annoying me and that's only cause I'm making her annoying so like my bad- :)