that bringing him was a mistake. Numerous things could go wrong, after all—their job was to protect the mundane but now they had knowingly done the contrary by bringing him on a hazardous mission where getting ambushed by something abnormal or inhuman was a likely risk. "Don't tell me you're afraid." Izzy snickered and Simon was quick to defend himself. "Are you kidding me? I was born afraid...which sounded a lot better in my head." He negated.

"Well, you got one thing right." Arya huffed, taking the first step towards the only source of light. "And it wasn't the first one." She expanded with a smirk as she proceeded. Despite her short temper and sarcastic remarks, Simons's eyes still followed after her as she wandered away. Her long hair flicked over her shoulder and her leather jacket provided her with no warmth. But Simon still gawked.

"Ehm." Alec forced a cough, deriving Simons attention away from Arya and back to Alec who was stood with a firm and bitter stare—directed right at the cute geek. "Let's check it out." The dark-haired boy directed, pursuing after the girl once he had scared Simon to the point of looking away.

"Always so protective, brother," Izzy whispered as she too sauntered past him and towards metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel. Alec internally whined, she caught a glimpse of everything.

"Wait here a minute," Jace ordered the redhead firmly once the light was beside them and it illuminated all of their faces and the ground around them. His strange pull to the girl making him want to protect her. "I wanna see if it's safe." He clarified once she scowled at him. Nevertheless, she still scoffed in irritation once he had walked away.

"Hey, if something goes wrong...if something happens to her, that's on us. You know that don't you?" Alec warned the blonde, shuffling off to the side with him while Izzy and Arya encircled the small fire to gain some warmth given the skimpiness of their clothes and jackets proceeded to provide them with none. "Yeah. And you know exactly what'd happen if Valentine gets the cup before we do." Jace contended in return. It was true, if it meant saving the entire shadow world, maybe it was worth it. "She's lost everything, Alec. I know exactly what that feels like. Arya too." Jace told him carefully and Alec nodded. It was true that the pair had lost everything they had while growing up. But now they had a different family, and Alec didn't want to see anyone in it get hurt. "What's your problem with her anyway?" Jace asked curiously. "Your family always uses to welcome strays." He defended.

"You were never stray. You were like a brother." Alec argued. He just didn't want Jace forgetting that he had a family before Clary came along, he couldn't ditch them all for her now. That action independently could get someone killed, and nobody wanted that. "The point is, nothing changed." He told him, Arya and Izzy now joining beside them. "We're in this fight together. There's just...one more of us." He told them positively. Clary was one of them but that didn't mean that she was the only one Jace had to care about, they all look out for each other—Clary was just an extension to that not a substitution for it.

Once his speech was done he led the way back over to collect the redhead. "You have to understand, the silent brothers aren't like us." Jace prepared her while the other three and Simon walked behind. "They lack your charm and superior people skills?" She quipped. "Yeah, most people do." Jace returned and Arya snorted. "They lack a hell of a lot more than that." She murmured and Clary glimpsed at her with a look of turmoil.

"The silent brothers communicate without using words, using just their thoughts." Jace further clarified to ease her confusion. "That doesn't sound so bad." she shrugged and of course it didn't. Once again, Arya noticed how he breezed over it—exactly like everyone had been all evening. "Don't let their silence fool you," Arya told her with a sad smile, she felt sympathetic that the girl had no idea what she was about to go through. "They'll hold the soul sword to your head, and with its blade, carve the truth from your mind. If you are not strong enough you will die." She told her truthfully and Jace ran a hand down his face. "Just as blunt as usual," Alec smirked and Arya nodded with a grin. But she knew that at least now the girl would be able to make her final decision with all the information—whether Jace liked it or not.

"I take it back. That sounds level ten bad." Clary rectified and they all nodded in agreement. "Clary, listen. The pain will be excruciating. You don't have to—" He assured. "I'll do anything." The redhead said sternly. "Walkthrough fire, battle demons, whatever it takes. I have to get my mom back." She insisted. "I can't...I won't lose her."

"You won't," Jace promised. "We won't." He corrected. And it was true what Izzy said at the institute. Jace had never been so interested in anyone before.

However once they reached the entrance to the city and it commenced with a human skeleton clasped to the wall, everyone's confidence took a slight hit. "I can do this." Clary encouraged herself, they all knew that she would but also knew she just needed someone to say it. "Yeah, you can." Simon convinced while also concealing his immediate fear. "You're Clary freakin' Fray. You can do anything." He tried to inspire and then attempted to walk in himself as if to show her that she could do it too.

He attempted. Jace rapidly stopped him before he got too close or too far into the city. "Alright, hold up." He said with a tough jerk on his arm backwards. "Surprise, surprise. No mundanes allowed, just like in the training room, right? Wrong! I've seen every horror movie ever made and the funny best friend who gets left behind...dead man." He spoke out and Izzy and Arya laughed at his enthusiasm slightly. "You are not that funny." Jace opposed and Simon glimpsed at the two girls who had chuckled at him as a reaction to Jace's argument.

"But, by all means, go ahead." He said with his arms folded and Simon heeded to him of course—trying to prove his point about not being frightened to the girls. "Of course, the minute you enter, you'll die." Ha pointed out shortly causing Simon to not so subtlety jump back away from the foyer just in case.

"Problem is, now I don't trust you." He moaned conflicted.

"He's not lying." Alec seconded, honestly.

"Now," Izzy added.

"He was before." Arya elucidated.

"The rune energy in the city of bones will kill and mundane who dares to enter. So please..." He told him, beckoning him towards the gateway. Which looked to Arya, too much like the gateway to hell would.

"The brothers creep me out," Izzy admitted. "I'll mind the mundane." She smirked, rubbing her fingers up and down his arm flirtatiously. "Your sacrifice is noted, Izzy," Jace commented before he walked towards the opening, ready for whenever Simon decided to stop complaining to Clary so she could join him.

"Talk about making sacrifices, I'm missing a financial analysis class right now," Simon complained and Alec was done with him in general at that point. "I can't be here..." He said wafting his hands around in Simons general direction. "...anymore, so, Jace, I'm gonna mind the perimeter. Arya, you wanna come?" He asked her hopefully and everyone besides her gave him a look.

"Sure." She sighed, walking near him in the cool night, her skin once again getting stung by the icy air from beneath her jacket. "Why did we pick such a cold night to take a trip to the silent brothers," Arya groaned, trying to climb up a steeper hill without tumbling into the darkness.

"Because Jace is stubborn." He huffed, turning to check that she was now by his side after their small trek. "You cold?" He asked, continuing the dark walk. "A little." She shrugged and Alec moved closer to her before he could persuade himself not to. As well as hooking an arm around her making her skin burn and tingle even under her clothes. And Arya was thankful for the dark the first time that night since it was now hiding her reddened face.

After a moment of acceptance of what was happening she finally leant her head on his shoulder, his body warmth now keeping her warm. It was strange for the pair of them to think that they weren't afraid of demons or fighting things that could kill them, but the simple act of displaying their emotions was scary for them. That both knew there must be something there but they also both knew that emotions weren't supposed to break through their level headed exteriors. But Alec formed the crack in Arya's and Arya was the crack in Alec's.

It was peaceful when they were together, like serendipity. But all peace came to an end at some point and theirs did the second they rounded the corner to be reunited with Izzy and Simon. The black-haired girls' eyes immediately widened at the realisation that Alec had his arm around Arya and she was leaning against him. They both quickly moved back to a normal distance apart and formed excuses.

"I was cold."

"She was cold."

They both said immediately and Izzy didn't believe them, even if it had been the truth she was still sceptical. Simon was warming himself up around the small fire pit while Izzy waited at the entrance. Arya was drawing shadow hunter symbols against the rock with another rock she had found and Alec was watching her. "So is cracking someone's mind open supposed to take this long?" He asked hoping that it was because that meant nothing was going wrong. "Maybe we, or...you should go check." He suggested.

"Jace has it covered," Alec answered without looking away at him. "Take my word for it. The silent brothers are quite unpleasant." Izzy also added and it was true. "That's not helping, not at all." He worried. "What if Clary can't handle the brothers? Wh-what does that mean?" He continued to ramble.

"It never stops talking," Alec complained, tearing his eyes away from Arya and to the hyperactive teenage boy instead. "Is he always so charming?" Simon huffed.

"Arya thinks so." Izzy plagued and the brown-haired shadow hunter mumbled a small shut up while she continued with her drawing. Izzy laughed at her antics and then turned back to Simon. "Firstborn. Heavy is the head that wears the crown." She explained while Alec scoffed but also smirked at the fact that Arya finding him charming could have been true.

"Mmm. I feel his pain. Only son. Mother wants me to be a CPA." He ranted while Izzy hummed along and Arya tried to ignore him."Well, at least you have parents." Arya huffed with a sarcastic smile at the teenager who immediately felt sorry for her, as well as Izzy and Alec.

"And you? What do you want?" Isabelle asked, trying to change the subject away from families for the sake of her Parabatai, especially while they were at the city of bones. "Me?" He asked stunned that anyone was having a civil conversation with him since he hadn't had one with anyone other than Clary all night. He seemed to fade into the background when the redhead was around. "Um...well, I'm in a band." He revealed. "Yeah?" Izzy smiled, seeing interested. "What type of music? Let me guess. Indie rock?" She asked and Simon Chuckled nervously. "Yeah," he confirmed. "Got anything on your phone?" She asked and the brown-haired boy nodded, explaining that they recorded their last track, but then realising that he had left his phone in the car.

"Where is it going," Alec asked, getting frustrated with the entire evening. "We'll be right back." She assured with a smirk but Alec just sternly stared at her, raising an eyebrow. "What? He passes the time." She grinned. "Arya, you coming." She asked the brown-haired girl who thought about it for a second while Alec secretly hoped she said no. "Not a chance." She scoffed. "I can hear you guys, you know," Simon argued but Izzy just pushed him ahead, leaving behind the other pair.

"You okay?" The boy asked hesitantly. The girl had now stopped drawing and instead was slumped down against the rock with her head back, wishing that Clary came out soon so that they could leave. "Yeah. Just the sooner we leave, the better." She sighed, resting her head against her knees, it pulling her jacket up against the cool rock, making her colder again. Alec rested down beside her and placed his hand on her leg tapping a pattern against her jeans with his fingers, she smiled as he did it and rested her head on his shoulder again, mimicking the same pattern on the back of his hand, causing him to also smile. However, the moment was ruined when Clary and Jace, sprinted out of the gates.

Arya and Alec immediately stood up and waited for them to reveal what they had found out. "What happened? What did you find out?" Alec enquired and Clary looked as if she had been crying—Arya just wondered whether it was from the pain of the sword or what the memory revealed.

"Valentine is Clary's father," Jace revealed and it was the last thing any of them expected him to say. "Wait for a minute." Alec stopped, flicking his eyes between Jace and then the read head with wariness now. "You're telling me this girl shows up out of nowhere and she's valentines daughter? Did it occur to you that she might be a spy? This might be part of her plan?" He stressed to Jace.

"Alec, that's enough." Arya stopped him when she saw the complete fear and the complete shame which was hidden beneath the smudged eyeliner and residual tears. "Do you think that I planned for my mom to get kidnapped? Or—or for Dot to get taken? Or to have a giant sword dangle over my head and find out that my father is one of the most dangerous people in the world? Really?" Clary growled, emotionally exhausted and trembling after everything she had been through.

Once her rant was over, however, she realised that there were now only three shadow hunters in her presence—and the missing two were Izzy and Simon. "Where's Simon?" She asked, her eyes widening. "Where's Simon?" She asked again once the fourth shadow hunter appeared but still, there was no sign of her best friend. "I told him to stay in the van," Izzy admitted—revealing that he was missing without actually saying the words. "I've searched everywhere.

"He's gone?" Clary stressed. Arya understood, If Izzy suddenly disappeared she would worry too—maybe not as much as Clary since Isabel was a shadow hunter and had fighting skills—but Simon didn't. He was a weak and defenceless mundane and now he was missing. "I can't find him." Izzy sighed.

"You were supposed to protect him!" Clary shouted at Arya's Parabatai. "Simon!" She started to shout, running past them all and into the more densely wooded areas. "Ugh, these mundanes are killing me," Jace complained before they all ran after the redhead and towards where Simon was supposed to be—In the van. But as Izzy said—he wasn't.

"Simon? No. Simon." Clary panted, also realising that what Izzy said was the truth. "Is that the mundanes name?" They heard a boisterous but distant voice call, echoing all around the city and into the boundaries. They all looked up to see the said teenage boy being drooped upside down over the ledge of a tall wooden structure. "I'm afraid Simon's coming with us." The vampire declared.

"No!" Clary shrieked back, desperate for him to be back and safe—wishing that she hadn't gotten him involved in the shadow world and wishing he had been in his finance class instead. "No, he's not a part of this." She argued. "And it'll be my pleasure to kill you unless you return him," Jace added more menacingly.

"Careful," Alec warned. "We'd be violating the Accords." He reminded them and Jace scowled at him. It might not have been the time to say it, but it was true. If they acted against the vampires then they could cause an uprising. And that was the last thing that they wanted—especially with Valentine back and after the cup.

"I'm afraid your sidekicks quite right. The night children have broken no laws. We're negotiating." He informed them, managing to find a loophole in the accords. "The mundane, unharmed, in exchange for the mortal cup."

"We don't have the mortal cup," Arya argued back. They would be entering a wager where neither side would get why they want. They didn't have the mortal cup thus the vamps couldn't give Simon back. Neither party was going to get what they want. "The clocks ticking, sweet Arya. So you better get it." That was the last thing he said before zooming away, leaving only the distant sound of Simon calling for Clary. "Simon...No!" She cried out, calling out his name repeatedly and breathing heavily.

✧

There it was—the second chapter of CLAIRVOYANCE. This one took me forever to write and is so long so I hope you enjoyed it.

I love Simon in the shadow hunters but I've had to make it so that Arya doesn't at least for now because I'm trying to show that she holds her harder outer shell up so that when she drops it for Alec it's a big deal—Also to show that she only really reveals her self to her close family—Aka Jace, Alec and Izzy but she's slowly warming on Clary too as she becomes part of the group.

Xoxo-LCC

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