3

"I still don't understand." Clary's voice filled my ears as I was seated at a table in the Ops Center, chewing on a piece of spinach I just shoved into my mouth out of the red container I held, "How can Shadowhunters be better than than what you people call mundanes?"

Isabelle's voice came next, "Because we protect humans."

I knew they were all a few feet behind me but I kept my back turned towards them, not even bothering to turn around.

"You're right- humans." Clary shot back at her, "You protect humans. You left Simon all alone in the van. Great job, guys- you rock."

When I heard Alec's voice, I shoved another bite of the salad I was eating into my mouth to hold back a smirk, "There is some truth to the idea that human beings should have a modicum of common sense."

Isabelle's tone was sharp, "Alec, not now."

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

"But- why do they think that- why does anyone think that?" Clary bursts, "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?"

Alec's footsteps came closer, "We have to report to the Clave, they have to know we've learned about Valentine."

"What, that he's my father?" Clary confronts him, "Great, fine- tell them. What good does that do Simon?"

"Clary, it's all connected." Jace said, "The vamps want the Cup."

"Why?" She asked, "It makes new Shadowhunters."

Alec speaks, "Nobody wants Valentine forming an army loyal to himself."

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

"They'll propose a trade." Jace brought up, "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 sighs deeply, "What if I just toss it up in the air and let them fight it out among themselves?"

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

"Yes, of course, it matters!" Clary bursts, "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."

"It's true." Isabelle agreed, "She was raised as a mundane."

Alec remarks, "What are you, her spokesman now?"

"I don't need a spokesman, I need a plan." Clary's footsteps came closer to me and suddenly they were all around the table I sat at, "Uh, look at all this stuff, these screens- I mean, can any of this help me find Simon?"

I looked at all of them, noticing how Jace, Isabelle and Alec were looking at me, "Hello?"

Jace leaned his hands against a chair, "Are you eating a salad?"

"Well, since I'm going to be staying here, I figured I would look around and I found this salad in the kitchen-" I shrug and slouched in my seat, "Turns out, greens aren't that bad actually."

Alec pursed his lips to hold back a smile as I told them my choice, Jace shrugging, "I'm pretty sure there was some spaghetti in the fridge."

"The only food Valentine properly knows how to make is spaghetti." I shoved another bite into my mouth, "You have no idea what that's like."

Isabelle sat on the table, "You're staying?"

"You think I'd go back to the bastard that took my memories?" I twirl the fork in my hand, "Just because I'm staying here doesn't mean I'm fond of any of you. I'm just pissed at my dad."

Jace nods his head once, "Duly noted."

"Can we focus on Simon?" Clary cuts in, "Where is he, anyway? Some kind of crypt in Transylvania?"

I wanted to laugh about the mundane being kidnapped already, but I kept quiet.

"Actually, no- that was Camille's outfit, right?" Jace looks between Isabelle and Alec, "They're locals."

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

"And we came back here?" Clary asked, her tone turning rushed and snappy, "Why? We have to go there."

"Let's go, now." Clary ordered as if she was the leader of the group that stood around the table, "Come on-"

"Who do you think you are?" I looked at her in pure curiosity, "You're acting like you own them."

Alec looked at him with amused eyes, looking at me with the same amount Jace and Isabelle felt.

Clary's eyes land on me, "I need to find Simon."

"Yeah, I know you need to find your mundie but I've known you for what- three seconds? And I'm already just absolutely antagonized by you." I shrug, sitting up, "I'm stunned by how easily you can just walk in and act like you own the place."

Alec slightly shrugged, "Actually, I think she's quite right-"

Jace shot him a look, "Alec."

"I don't have time for this, okay-" Clary shook her head, "We need to go to the Hotel and get Simon back-"

Alec almost rolls his eyes, "We need a Clave resolution for that."

Isabelle speaks up, "The four of us can't declare war on the vamps all by ourselves."

"And we can't react without considering our options." Alec adds in, "Downworlders are slaves to their impulses, we're not."

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

"Oh, that's right." Alec looked at his sister, "Seelies have their charms, apparently. Right?"

Clary repeats, "Seelies?"

"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." Alec shot eyes at his sister, "She's got a thing."

Isabelle was smiling. "We've all got our things, don't we?"

"Okay, I can't listen to this." Clary interjects, "Simon's been kidnapped by vampires."

"Question-" I held up my fork, swallowing the food in my mouth, "Do you always suck the fun out of every conversation?"

Clary sighs, spinning around, walking away from us, "I guess I'll just take care of it myself."

Jace sighs deeply, about to speak, but I beat him to it.

"And what are you going to do against a whole clan of vampires?" I dropped my fork into the container and stood up, leaning my weight onto my palms as I rested them against the table, "You're just going to waltz right in with no protection and get killed? I mean- by all means, go ahead! It'll save me the trouble."

She kept walking, ignoring my remarks, as I shrug, standing up straight, placing my hands on my hips, my tone filled with complete amusement, "Alright, alright, go for it- get you and your mundie killed."

Clary stops at my words, but doesn't move.

"Zee's right, okay?" Jace backed me up, catching me by slight surprise, "You're going to get both of yourselves killed."

Clary turns back around and walks over to us, "Then help me."

"While we consider other options, my best friend is suffering." Clary places her palms on the table and leans on them, "Is that something Shadowhunters understand or am I just being a mundane?"

I sat back down, biting into my salad.

"Clary's right." Jace inhales sharply, "They made the first move. 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 asked, "Look, the vamps broke the Accords."

"They kidnapped a mundie- that's a big no-no." He continued, "The Clave will give us a lecture and then they'll be glad we did it."

Isabelle was in, "Hard to argue with that."

"Even if we went ahead, I don't see how we get out of here without having to explain where we're going." Alec was hitting all the milestones, "We need weapons, and we can't let anyone see us get them."

"I know where to get what we need." Jace assured, then looked at me, "You in?"

"As much as I'd enjoy saving the mundie, I'll pass." The cool metal of my fork was against my lip, "Don't wanna give the Clave another reason to throw my ass in the City of Bones, right?"

-

My hand held the string of the bow I held, my eyes glued to the target I stood a few feet away from, my aim sharp, stood out in the courtyard in the dark, small lights lit up around the walls.

My hand let go, the arrow moving st high velocity as it lands at the bullseye. I don't even cheer for myself, because I had been doing this every since Clary, Jace, Isabelle and Alec left.

"How do you know archery?" I heard a voice behind me, making me turn and notice Margaret stood at the entrance that led back inside.

"Uh, I don't." My arm drops to my side, as I didn't bother turning to face her completely, holding the bow in my hand, "I just know."

Margaret took a step onto the courtyard, "I taught you. I trained you- but, you always practiced with your friend Alec."

I spun to face her almost right away when she says that, my hair almost whipping at my face, "He's not my friend."

She puts her hands up in surrender, speaking in suggestion, "You're- Alec?"

"He's not my anything." I set the bow down on the bench, running a hand thorough my hair.

"All right, I get it." Margaret takes a few steps closer, "I was testing you earlier- to see if you remembered anything."

I crossed my arms, "I knew archery?"

"Although, you're signature weapons were your kindjals, you were always interested in archery." Margaret recalls, in hopes of sparking something good in me, "You begged me to teach you and when I did, you practiced with Alec non stop."

My eyes scan her expression, "You're an archer?"

Margaret slowly nods, gesturing towards the bow and quiver on the bench, "That's my bow and quiver."

"Oh." I grabbed them, handing them both to her, "Sorry-"

"No, it's fine!" Her kindness almost made me soft as she set them back down on the bench, "It seems that you're talented in many other things besides swordsmanship."

My gaze fell back on her, "My father trained me in swordsmanship."

"You have my unassailable archery skills and your father's impeccable swordsmanship." Margaret inhales deeply, looking at me with a hint of pride, "You're a strong warrior, Zee."

I almost roll my eyes, "But?"

"I can only hope you find your way back into the right path. I pray we figure out a way to get your memories back to you-" Margaret confesses, folding her hands together, "Your friends need you, honey."

I scoff, "I told you, they're not my friends."

"They went to save Simon alone." Margaret informed me as if I wasn't sitting right in front of them when they discussed it, "Alec told me before they left- they're challenging the vampires on their own. They need your help. I decided not to inform the Clave, and to tell you instead."

I gave her a look of suspicion, "Why?"

"Because if you help them, they have a better chance at making it out alive." Margaret said, making me go dead silent.

"You're my daughter." Margaret puts a strand of my hair behind my ear and stares at me with what I could decipher as a way Valentine had never looked at me before; pure love, "I know you know what's right in your heart."

How was I supposed to know what was right in my heart when I felt like I didn't have one?

-

I sat alone at the table in the training room, by the weapons vault, staring at the two kindjals in front of me.

The Institute was mostly quiet and empty at this time, due to how the night had fallen, the most Shadowhunters in the Ops Center rather than anywhere else in the Institute, and yet there was only a few.

I picked up one of them, staring at the runes carved in them.

My hand held the grip, and for some reason, I didn't want to put it down. Something about the blade felt right.

My attention turned elsewhere when I heard quiet footsteps a few feet away from me, my head tilting up to look at who it was.

Alec Lightwood walked in from the back, opening the weapons vault, quietly grabbing his bow and a few arrows, shutting it.

I slowly got up, walking over to him, staring at his back, holding the two kindjals in my hands, pressing the cool metal together and crossing them, "Shouldn't you be off fighting vampires and saving the mundane?"

Alec almost jumps, startled by my voice spinning around to face me, showing me that he was here secretively.

"Sorry." I wanted to laugh, but didn't, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"I needed my bow- and to rune some arrows." Alec slowly grabbed his stele out of his pocket.

I set my kindjals down, "Don't worry- I won't tell."

"Your kindjals." Alec takes notice of them, slipping off his jacket and beginning to rune some arrows, "They were your signature weapon."

"Yeah, Margaret said that too." I use every cell in me to look away from his biceps, "She said we would train together."

I watched him, noticing how focused he was as he ran the tip of his stele against the arrow.

He was hot, and I refrained from accidentally saying it out loud.

Everything about him was just so attractive.

Literally everything.

He did not have not one flaw.

I hated it, but I couldn't help but be intrigued by him.

"Yeah." Alec glanced at me, runing an arrow, "We'd always sneak off during the night to practice when your mom was asleep so you could use her bow."

"It sounds like we had a lot of fun." I trailed off, my eyes locking with his, as he stopped what his was doing just to look at me.

We stared at each other for a few seconds, and before anything could happen, Hodge's voice makes our eye contact break, "Alec- didn't know you were here."

Alec's eyes slightly widen but he quickly recovers, turning to face Hodge, leaning against the desk, "Yeah, no, I, uh-"

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

Alec exhales deeply, "It's just that, you know, Clary is-"

"That girl is Valentine's-" Hodge hisses as the Circle rune sizzled on his neck, "The monster's daughter."

Hodge then looks at me, "There must be some reason why the roaches are coming out of the woodwork again, right?"

I don't say anything in reply.

Hodge stepped back, "I'll leave you to it."

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

"You remind me of me, Alec." Hodge trails off and I could tell he was implying on Jace, "A loyal friend standing in the shadow of the chosen one."

Alec doesn't reply to him, as he placed a hand on the back of Alec's neck, "Hey- don't make the same mistakes I did. Look where it got me."

Alec stares at him in silence, as Hodge slowly turns and walks away from us, leaving us alone again.

"He gives me weird vibes." I broke the silence, watching Hodge walk away, "There's something really off about that guy."

"You sure you don't wanna come and save the mundane with us?" Alec looked at me, putting the arrows he runed in his quiver.

"I'm not coming with you, Alec." I put the kindjals back into the weapons vault and walk away.

-

I walked quickly through the halls of the DuMort, taking notice of the lack of vampires.

The kindjals I was looking at earlier in the scabbards around my leg, as I had decided to leave my seraph blade at the Institute.

There was just something about the kindjals that I couldn't ignore. I felt drawn to them.

I ran a hand through my dark straight hair, as it only fell back in place, reaching it's full length of ending mid chest, as I could only hear Margaret's voice in my head over and over.

If you help them, they have a better chance of making it out alive.

They need you.

And for some reason, I gave into my gut and ended up at the DuMort.

I had no idea why, but I couldn't just sit at the Institute doing nothing when I knew they could die if I didn't help them.

"Clary!" Jace's shout teared me away from my thoughts.

"You!" A hissing vampire shouted, as I could hear Clary's small whimpers, "Just ran 30 blocks to get here before I freaking burned to death in the sun!"

"You missed your ride, angel doll." He continued, "Why'd you go with him, huh? You really know how to hurt a guy."

"You're right." There was a grunt, along with Clary's sudden cocky tone, "I really do know how to hurt a guy."

"Clary, look out!" Jace's grunts got closer as I picked up my speed down the hall, "The blade!"

"Bitch, you're finished!" The vampire shouted, and as I rushed in unseen, I scanned the room.

A vampire had Clary by her neck, using her as leverage against Alec who had his bow and arrow aimed at him, Isabelle behind him in a red dress.

Jace was on the ground, a vampire having the upper hand on him, as he was trying to fight him out, a seraph dagger a few feet away from them.

Small grunts came from Clary as she tried to pull away from the vampire, her hands on his arm, as he just held a tighter grip on her, her back against his chest.

Instinctively, I grabbed my kindjals, throwing one at high velocity at the vampire on Jace, as he disintegrated into nothingness, piercing the other kindjal in my hand into the vampire I stood behind, tilting my head to the side as I watched him disappear as well.

I chewed on the mint gum, my eyes shifting between them all in a blank stare as I was revealed when the vampire disappeared.

Clary jumped forward and spun around in surprise when the vampire disappeared, Jace forcing up to his feet, his hair sticking up in different ways.

Isabelle had a satisfied smirk on her face, Alec's eyes were glued to me, a relieved chuckle leaving his lips as he lowered his bow.

Alec was the first to speak, a shining glimmer of hope and assurance in his eyes, "You came."

I stopped chewing for a second, looking up at the ceiling for a second as if I was thinking of an answer, "I was bored."

Jace picked up my kindjal, looking from it to me, "Guess your seraph blade wasn't your signature weapon after all."

"Just because I saved your asses, doesn't mean we're on the same side." I grabbed the kindjal from him, looking between all of them.

I spun on my feet, walking towards the hall I came from, sighing dramatically, "Come on- let's go find your mundie."

Isabelle, Alec, Clary and Jace followed me without a second to waste, holding their weapons tight and steady, ready for anything that stood in our way.

"They're coming." Raphael Santiago's familiarly quiet voice filled with realization filled my ears when we came closer to the room Simon was held in.

"Simon!" Clary instantly gasped when we entered the room, my hands tightening on my kindjals.

"Clary!" Simon called back, a knife at his throat, held by Raphael, Jace grabbing Clary before she could go any further.

Slight fright crossed Raphael's expression when he sees me, "Zee Morgenstern-"

"Clearly, you're intimidated by me, so why don't we just make this easy and you hand him over?" I stepped closer, keeping a hard stare, "I don't want to have to kill you."

Raphael held the knife closer to Simon's neck, "You'd be violating the Accords."

"My father hates all demon blooded creatures." I used the label to it's advantage, pressing just so he could get frighten enough, "You think I give a damn about the Accords?"

Truth was, I didn't know how I felt about what my father wanted anymore.

I didn't know who I was anymore.

Clary began to stop closer with her blade her hand but Jace stops her, "That's not gonna do any good."

"Listen to him, Clary Fairchild." Raphael warned, "Put it away."

"I've had more than enough of your friend for one day." Raphael continues, "I'd love to cut his throat."

I inhale sharply, "I'd love to cut yours."

"Don't give me a reason!" Raphael raises his voice at my remark, "Put it away!"

"Simon-" Clary slowly puts her dagger away, as we all reluctantly oblige as well, "Simon, are you all right?"

Simon stutters, "I wouldn't say all right-"

"Stop talking!" Raphael almost shouts then calms down, "Now if you would all just follow me."

"Let's go!" Raphael pulled Simon with him, making us follow him as he was now forcing us to go down a narrow hall, "Come on, let's go! Up here now!"

"That's right, get down there now!" Raphael urged, as we all slowly backed away into the narrow hallway that lead up to the rooftop, "Get down there or I'll kill him right now!"

"Look, we're not gonna hurt you-" Clary began, "We just want Simon-"

"I'm glad you do, we don't!" Raphael called out, walking towards us more, making us back away faster, "We wanted you."

Clary started taking a step closer, "Well, here I am-"

"Stop!" Jace grabbed her quickly.

"I said wanted." Raphael emphasized, "Not my idea."

Isabelle's back hit the door, as Raphael shouts, "Now, get out! Go!"

Clary shook her head, "Not without Simon."

"Shut up!" Raphael shouts, "Open that door right now or I'll kill him right here."

"Listen to him!" Jace shouts back at us, Isabelle opening the door, her, Alec and I stepping out onto the roof.

I could hear Clary's protest, "But, Simon will die if-"

"Clary, go!" Jace forced her out, and as he turned to follow, Raphael shoves Simon in his direction.

"Go!" Raphael yells, hiding from the sun, "Take him!"

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

"Don't thank me- you mean nothing." Raphael spat back, "This is about Valentine and the chaos he can bring."

I roll my eyes at the comment, as Raphael says one last thing to Jace before he comes out by us, the door shutting behind him.

Simon was the first to speak when he notices none of us moving, "Shouldn't we get the hell out of here?"

Jace looks at him, "Why, Simon?"

"They're right downstairs." Simon points out, "They could come after us."

"I'd like to see them try." I shrugged, walking up the steps to the higher platform, "They'll just turn into a bunch of fried eggs out here."

"Right-" Jace sighs deeply, "I thought you said you watch movies."

"Oh, my God, it's over- It's actually over." Clary cried out and threw her arms around Simon, "I was so afraid I would lose you. But- it's true, you're actually here."

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

"You don't have to die!" Clary replied.

"I'd rather not do that." Simon chuckles nervously.

Clary swallows, "I couldn't live without you."

"Say that again." Simon stares her, something flashing in his eye.

By now, Alec, Isabelle and Jace joined me on the higher platform, the four of us watching them.

"I couldn't live without you, Simon." Clary held his face, "You're all I have left- my whole life just disappeared. I'm supposed to be this other thing, live this other way."

"You're my best friend." Clary held onto him tightly, "Don't you ever, ever let yourself get in that kind of trouble again."

I almost gagged, throwing my head back for a moment and rolling my eyes, "If I knew this would be the outcome, I wouldn't have come."

Alec looks at me, "Why did you?"

Jace joined in on the conversation, "Yeah, why did you help us tonight?"

The pad of Isabelle's finger ran on her bottom lip as she spread a new coat of lipstick on it, as she was suddenly interested in this conversation as well.

I eyed Alec up and down, not replying, walking away.

authors note:

lowkey loved this chapter js

zalec is literally goals in any book smfh

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