"What was that?" I stumbled when the apartment jerked and moved before stopping with a thud, "What did you just do?-"

"Just a little change of locale." Jonathan breathed out and stood up straight, insinuating that he had moved the apartment to a different location.

When those words left his mouth, I quickly moved and headed to the doors, pushing them open, my heart dropped to the farthest pit in my stomach at the sight of the Eiffel Tower.

Paris.

"What's wrong?" Jonathan noticed my expression when he followed behind me, "You're in Paris- I thought you'd be happy."

"Happy?" I scoffed lightly and looked at him, "You expect me to be happy that I'm being held hostage and have been shackled to my brother for the rest of my life?-"

"I take it you're afraid of our little bond." Jonathan stares at me, then calls out after me when I rolled my eyes and walked back inside, "I forgive you for trying to kill me, by the way."

I huff and cross my arms, "So- how does this work? If one of us gets hurt, the other does too? Is that all there is to it?"

"That appears to be the case so far, yes." He said.

I thought out loud, "It must be an effect of that rune Lilith gave me to resurrect you."

"Well, if we can't be enemies, perhaps we'll be allies." Jonathan took a step toward me, "We never got a chance to know each other- and what better place than Paris? Home of Renoir, Matisse, Van Gogh and now? Morgenstern."

"Shut up, Jonathan." I snapped at him, "I really don't want to hear it-"

"You're a great artist, Zee. I admire that." Jonathan stares at me for a moment, "I'm gonna go get us some food- how about I pick up some art supplies, and you can show me how you work?"

When he began walking away, an idea struck in my mind, "Jonathan, wait!-"

He stopped and looked at me.

"Take me with you." I walked over to him, "If you really wanna get to know me- if you really want to rebuild our relationship- you can't keep me locked up in here."

Jonathan stares, "I'm afraid it's not that simple."

"Isn't it?" I tried to persuade, "It seems simple enough to me. I hurt you, I hurt myself- and besides, we're both on the run from the Clave- where would I run? Right back to my execution?"

Jonathan seemed hesitant, "How can I be sure you're telling me the truth?"

"You can't." I say, praying that I could convince him, "You're just gonna have to trust me."

Jonathan came closer, his eyes slightly widening, "Does that mean that you trust me?"

"I don't know yet." I told him, "But- I've had a lot of time to think. Maybe- it's time I gave you a chance. To get the know the real you."

-

"See what you can find." Jonathan pushed open a closet, countless amounts of glittery dresses and clothing items greeting us.

"Ew." Was my first reaction when I stepped in, looking through all the clothes, "These are all- nauseatingly sparkly."

"Yeah, well- they belonged to Lilith." Jonathan grabbed his own clothes from the other side before stepping out, "Happily, she won't be needing them any longer."

I rolled my eyes and looked through the items, grabbing a plain blouse and a blazer, along with a pair of boots.

I walked over to the foldable wall and stayed hidden behind it, changing into the clothes as I heard Jonathan talk, "Paris is home to the world's largest Institute, and we're both on the run, so- best to keep our runes covered."

"Right." I trail off, stopping when I went to put on the blouse, noticing my missing parabatai rune once more.

I finished getting dressed and walked out from behind the foldable wall to see Jonathan already staring at me, "You look gorgeous."

I don't reply to that, and instead question, "You want to tell me now why I don't have my parabatai rune anymore?"

"Right." Jonathan recalled, his eyes scanning my expression, "Lilith left a little present for you before she blew up- an elixir."

"An elixir." I repeated, "What- so what did it do? Disconnect me from Isabelle- make it seem like we were never parabatai? So it seemed like I was dead?"

"Somewhere along those lines, yes." Jonathan crosses his arms, "I suppose I don't even need to explain it since you're too smart for your own good-"

I rolled my eyes and scoffed, looking at myself in the mirror, fixing my hair.

"Your outfit's missing something." Jonathan then came behind me and placed a fedora on my head, making my jaw clench a bit, "Better."

-

"You know, they'll bring you another if you want." Jonathan began to speak when he caught eye of me shoving the croissant he had just bought for me in my mouth hungrily, "You're attacking that like a wolverine."

I paused and stared at him, "Sorry, I didn't have time to eat after I pass out in the Arctic."

Jonathan sighs at me, before turning his head and calling for the waiter, "Monsieur? Un autre croissan, s'il vous plaît?-"

Then, he turned to look at me, pouring me some more hot chocolate, as my eyes slowly trailed from my cup to him.

"This was the first place I came after I escaped Edom." Jonathan began, "I was hideous- burned raw from my mother's little love marks, so I huddled in a hoodie, hoping no one would notice me."

"Then, the most beautiful boy came and asked if he could share my table." Jonathan continued, "He looked me right in the face- it's like my burns weren't even there."

I stared at him, "Sebastian Verlac."

"He was so- good, so full of light." Jonathan confirmed my suspicions, "He was everything I wanted to be."

"Oh." I sat up, "So- you kidnap and murder him?"

"Murder was never part of the plan." Jonathan immediately said, "But- seeing the hate in his eyes every time I would bring him his meals- it made me feel like a monster."

My tone was bland, "He had a good reason."

Jonathan signs again, "And all the time I was at the Institute, I- I was terrified that you would all find out who I really was and hate me too."

"And suddenly you care about what we think?" I scoff at him, "You were trying to destroy us- you were working for Valentine."

"No- I never wanted to hurt any of you, just Valentine." Jonathan assures me quickly, "The way that you and the Lightwoods took me in- it made me want to be good. For the first time in my life, people cared. Can you imagine what that feels like?"

"Yeah." I crossed my arms and stared at him, "I've known the Lightwoods a lot longer than you have. They're my family-"

He stared at me, quiet.

My heart shattered at the words I uttered, "And now, I might never see them again."

"I know it's sad, Zee." Jonathan tried, "But- I can be there for you now- if you'll let me."

Before he could continue, he pulled out his vibrating phone, "Damn it- uh, we have to leave."

-

"So- why did we have to leave the hot chocolate place so quickly?" I asked Jonathan as we walked down the streets of Paris, him keeping me close by.

"There's an antique dealer in Saint-Germain who keeps odd hours." Jonathan simply said, "I was thinking we could pay a visit."

I look at him, "An antiques dealer?"

When he doesn't reply, I stopped walking, "Look, Jonathan, if this sibling thing is gonna work, you've gotta be straight with me."

"It was supposed to be a surprise." Jonathan shot me a look and put a hand on my back, making me start walking again, "The Morning Star Sword has surfaced in n Par- I was going to give it to you as a gift."

"You were gonna give me a sword?" I scoffed at him, "Wow, you really don't know me at all."

Jonathan shot back, "It's an ancient family relic, a symbol of Morgenstern dignity."

"That's rare- to hear the words Morgenstern and dignity in the same sentence." I remarked.

"Our family used to be great heroes until Valentine disgraced our name." Jonathan said, "It is up to us to change that."

But, I wasn't listening to him anymore.

My eyes were glued to the stele hanging out of the pocket of the Shadowhunter walking towards us.

I acted quickly, bumping into him as though it were an accident, stealing the stele and shoving it into my sleeve before hiding my arms behind my back, Jonathan shouting at him, "Hey- watch where you're going!"

"I'm sorry, it's my bad!" I cut in, my heart racing with fear that he'd notice, "Je suis une touriste stupid."

He didn't, "Y a pas de soucis, mademoiselle."

Then he walked away.

-

[ third person's pov ]

"We can confirm that the apartment jumped again early this morning." Jace told the others when we all gathered around a table in the Ops Center.

Luke was backing him up, "And we have good reason to believe that Zee was in it."

"The problem is she could be anywhere." Jace said.

Magnus cuts in, "Well, not anywhere."

"What do you mean?" Clary asked.

"Inter-dimensional domiciles run along ley line grids." Magnus slid his finger on the monitor, "Based on the apartment's size and power, there are only a handful of habitable regions with grid junctions large enough to support it."

"All right- well, let's get a list of all places that fit the prole and check any nearby Institututes for unusual activity." Alec was already shooting out orders, "Magnus, you must have some international warlock friends who could keep an eye out for us?"

Magnus nods slowly, "Well, I'm not one to name drop, but- I'll make a few calls."

"Even if we check all these places, it's still like finding a needle in a hay stack." Luke exclaims.

"Then we better start now." Jace looked between them all, "We are going to find her."

-

[ zee's pov ]

"I'm sure you can make an exception." Jonathan negotiated with the clerk behind the counter at the antiques shop as I stood a few feet away and watched, "Coins from dead men's eyes. A particular favourite of the Vetis demon- don't ask me why."

I paused, "He's a demon?"

"Not to worry, our friend-" Jonathan trails off as the man answered, "Our friend Mirek is relatively harmless."

I ask, "How do you know that?"

"Part of the Greater Demon middle class that rarely gets mentioned- they live quietly among us, working at our banks schools, brothels, gently stoking the lesser vices." Jonathan looked around the shop, "For the most part, they sail under the radar- you know, I'll bet Mirek here hasn't gotten so much as a jay-walking ticket."

Mirek then cut in, "What do you want?"

"The Morning Star Sword." Jonathan stops and looks at him, "I hear you have it, and I'd like to make a deal."

"I'll speak with you, but that one- outside." Mirek shook his hand at me, "Phew! I can smell your Nephilim blood from here."

Perfect.

"My sister and I are rather- attached." Jonathan tried, "I'd prefer if she stayed."

"I've stayed out of the Institute's sight for years." Mirek began, "I won't have any trouble now- come back tomorrow without her."

"So- you can disappear overnight with your treasures?" Jonathan inched closer, "I don't think so."

"Hey!" I took my chance and quickly jogged over, "What if I just waited outside?"

-

"Arrêt!" I heard suddenly when I stood outside of the antique shop, writing a fire message to Clary, explaining what was going on, "I believe you have something that belongs to me-"

I pushed the fire message forward, watching as it flew off right as two hands grabbed my wrists to try and stop me, my eyes landing on the man from before.

"I'm sorry- I don't need it anymore-" I dropped the stele, "I was just trying to get word to my colleagues in New York-"

He stares, "You're a Shadowhunter- I knew it."

"I can explain." I began, "My name is Zee Young- I'm with the New York Institute- I've been kidnapped by my brother-"

"He's extremely dangerous- and he's inside that shop-" I was trying to explain until I felt him pulling me along with him, "I- what're you doing?-"

"Save your story." He walked fast, dragging me along with him, "You're coming with me."

"Fine, but- you need to call for backup!" I raise my voice, "Jonathan Morgenstern is inside that shop- he's trying to buy some kind of weapon-"

"Whatever you say, Miss "Young"." He mocked my tone, making me jerk to a stop and force myself out of his hold.

"You don't believe me?" I was angry.

"Zee Young is dead!" He said, "And so is Jonathan."

"No, we're both very much alive." I took off my fedora, "I know it's not difficult to recognize me even with this stupid hat on-"

Before he could reply, two hands wrapped around him and snapped his neck, his body falling and dropping dead, making fear burn in my chest.

There Jonathan stood, slowly walked over to me and grabbing my arms, "That was close."

I tried to pull away but Jonathan pulled me into his side and walked with me, "Hey- you're safe now with me."

-

[ third person's pov ]

"I think I've got something." Alec called out to his friends after looking for information for hours, feeling at unease that his best friend was out there alone, "A Shadowhunter in Paris just rerted his stele missing."

Jace came by, "Do they have any suspects?"

"They think it's a rogue Shadowhunter." Alec looked up, "A young woman."

Right then and there, a fire message flew through the air, ones Clary caught instantly as it was meant for her.

Clary's eyes widened when scanning the words written, "It is her-"

-

[ zee's pov ]

"That was incredible." Jonathan breathed as he walked with me in his side, a wide smile on his lips.

"You killed a man, Jonathan." I was scared out of my mind, but I'd never admit it, "A Shadowhunter."

"And I did it for you." Jonathan expressed, "Seeing you in his arms like that, so vulnerable- it wasn't like any kill I've ever done before."

"Zee- it felt so good!" Jonathan stopped and grabbed my arms so I looked at him, "You make me good."

"That's not what good is, Jonathan!" I stared at him with wide eyes. "Killing like that should never feel good- he was an innocent man-"

"Oh, yeah? I heard what you did to our father." He brought up, "On the shores of Lake Lyn, watching his life slip from your hands, how did that feel?"

"Are you kidding me?" I snapped at him, "He poisoned me with demon blood- he killed the love of my life right in front of me- you have no right comparing those two things-"

Jonathan snaps back, "Don't I?"

"What are we really doing here, Jonathan?" I gave up, "The Morning Star Sword- it's not a gift. You're planning something- what is it?"

"I would love to tell you, Zee." Jonathan stares at me, "But frankly, I am beginning to question your motives."

Then, my heart leaped at the sight of Clary, Luke, Alec and Jace running down the platform and towards us.

But, I was quick to guard Jonathan when Alec pulled out an arrow and aimed for him, "Alec, no!-"

"Don't shoot!" I shouted at him immediately, my eyes wide, "If you kill him, I die too."

"Everybody, stand down!" Luke said, making them all let their guard down and halt.

Jonathan was right in my ear, "I knew I never should have trusted you!"

"You're right- you shouldn't have-" I pulled out a dagger from his pocket and stabbed it right into my leg with a grunt.

"You little bitch!-" I heard him shout and grab his leg, before he was quickly rushing off, making his escape, leaving me.

I pulled the dagger out and dropped it, Jace immediately rushing over to me, "Zee!-"

He pulled out his stele and moved my hair aside, activating my Iratze, healing the bleeding wound I had just given myself.

The moment I was healed, I felt him wrap his arms around me as I grabbed his face, the both of us crashing our lips into each other in sync.

Tears burned in my eyes while I kissed him, feeling him lift me up off the ground, my legs wrapping around his waist.

I had no idea where we stood.

But, I knew right now I was just glad to be with him again. I had missed him so much.

I pulled back from the kiss to let out a sob, my forehead leaning against his as he spoke, "I can't believe I'm holding you."

"I can't believe it either." I sniffled, wrapping my arms around his neck and putting a hand in his hair, "I love you. I love you so much-"

"I love you- I love you." Jace said back to me repeatedly, pressing another small kiss to my lips.

Then, he softly laughed.

"What's so funny?" I lifted my head a bit to look at him, more tears falling free from my eyes, noticing how his were watery.

"I always had this dream that one day, I'd take you to Paris." Jace admitted, sniffling, "I'm not sure this is exactly how I imagined it."

"We'll come back one day." I leaned in and pressed my lips into his once more, not wanting to leave this moment.

authors note:

birthday update !!!

ahhh, i actually really loved this chapter.

and the zee and jace reunion made my heart ache- it was so so cute and sweet, god i love this ship

but, thank you for 40k !!

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