Heart by heart. (TMI)

16) Lost.

Clary was walking down the street with the pram rolling along in front of her. She reached the gate and pushed it open saying a few ancient words. The building roared up in front of her and the features were beautiful. She realised how much she had missed this place, not having visited in what felt like the lifetime of a warlock. The elevator creaked and the torches glowed. It felt different though it was still the same place she had loved so dearly. No matter how long she was gone, the institute would stay the institute. 

She wandered the halls until the door of her old bedroom was in front of her. When Clary pushed it open she was surprised to see nothing had been touched. The bed, however, had been disturbed by  a golden hair boy who's skin was as white as snow. The boy was slim and slender. His bones could be seen through his shirt and his lips were pale and cracked. Clary barely recognised him, but she would know him anywhere. 

A tiny whisper escaped her lips. "Jace?"

His eyes fluttered open. "Clary? Is that you?" His body jolted and he grasped his head "Please tell me you're real!" His hand reached out and she clasped her tiny hands over his. He let out a breath and pulled her into a tight hug. 

"It's okay, it's okay!"

The colour flooded back into his eyes and they flicked down to her enlarged stomach. Jace's calloused hand ran through his golden hair "When are you due?" Clary could see the guilt in his eyes. 

"Two months."

"Is that why you're here?"

"No."

"Then why are-"

"To give you this." Clary pushed a small parcel into his hands. "Happy Birthday, My Golden boy." She planted his lips with a kiss and turned to leave. 

Her hand was nearing the pram when Jace weakly called out. "Clary, stay?"

"I'll come back but I have work." Her eyes flickered down towards Valerie "Look after her- you are her father after all."

He smiled his perfectly wide smile and she pulled him in for hug "I've missed you so much." 

"And I, you." He laughed before considering the rest of her speech. "What'd you mean by work?"

"Demon hunting- What else?"

His eyes looked like thunder and Clary felt his mood darken.  "Don't be ridiculous." His eyes flicked down to her swollen stomach.

"Well it's never stopped me before. Besides its not a dangerous job. I'm just checking out an old cult base. Long since disbanded, you know I wouldn't do anything to put my- our children in danger." He paused but nodded eventually. "Okay, I actually have to leave because I do get paid for this and I can't afford to get fired right now." She smiled at him.

"I still don't want you to go." He grabbed her wrist, pleading.

When she turned back, Clary looked him straight in the eye. "Jace please, nothing you will stay can stop me." She turned and headed down the long corridors and into New York.

--

The lock fell and Clary pushed her stele into her boot. The Church was small, around 10 pews leading to the alter and 3 doors. The entrance that she'd just come through, the bathroom and what she assumed would be the Church room.

When a door creaked behind her Clary spun to see a boy as familiar to her as the back of her own hand. 

Simon.

"And what do you think you're doing here?" She laughed. 

"I could ask you the same question Mrs Wayland." He pulled her into a hug. "Surely you should be on maternity leave? Do they not care about you?" Simon asked. 

Clary opened her mouth to answer. "Clary!" He shouted. 

Clary ducked and span around to see a great hulking demon behind her. She pulled her seraph from her belt and called out. "Gabriel!" It beamed out into the room. "Well. It was meant to be a safe job to be honest. No fighting. They were wrong, obviously". Clary answered, swinging her blade towards the sweating, panting form before her.

As Simon tried to occupy a formation of maggots which moved as a hive to create a greater demon. When he sliced at the form the worms would thread themselves back together.

 "Well when are they ever right?" He laughed.

Clary's laugh echoed in the Church. She finished off the demon and turned to help Simon. By the the time she heard the footsteps hurtling towards her it was too late. Another demon, the same wormy yellow body, planted it's giant canines into Clary's shoulder. Her yell was ear-deafening and Simon threw one last blow to the demon before him and turned to do the same to the one that had bitten Clary. He looked at her shoulder which was wet with a mix of red blood and yellow poison. He couldn't help her- Steles' didn't work on injuries of demonic origin.  Simon, dragging Clary onto the street, pulled out his phone to dial the institute. 

"Hello?" Jace answered. " What do you want?" His arrogance could be easily detected. Simon, though, was wasting no time.

"It's Clary! She's been bitten and somethings wrong. I'm gonna' try to get her to you but I came on the subway! If you want send someone." 

Simon told Jace the address and what exactly happened while Izzy headed out for Simon, all the while clutching his friends limp body in his hands.