Hidden Memories

Epilogue: Where We Are Now

Simon's POV

We released each other from our embrace and I was shocked by the fact that she still had tears glistening in her eyes.

"Iz," I asked her, comforting her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said. "I just am so glad we can put everything behind us."

"Yeah," I said. "Me too."

We come out of the gardens to find that everyone was eavesdropping on our conversation. And by everyone, I mean, Magnus, Alec, Jace, and Clary.

I rolled my eyes. "Did you hear everything that went on in there?"

They all nodded, smirking at me. I turned to look at Iz, and she was as bright as a tomato. I groaned inwardly.

"A little piece of advice," Jace said, "kiss her on the cheek. Gets them every time."

Clary turned to smack him on the arm, and she said. "Don't worry, Simon, it was perfectly sweet."

"I actually thought it was a little corny," Magnus said lazily. "I mean, a scavenger hunt? It's been said and done at least a hundred times."

"Constructive criticism," Alec reminded the sarcastic warlock.

I spread my hands out in front of me, drawing attention to everyone in the room. "Okay, okay," I said. "I understand that you all are critics and you're just feasting on this event, but I honestly don't care what any of you think. I don't mean it in a bad way, but I just don't. If it was good enough for Isabelle to be happy, then why should I care what I should or shouldn't have done as is determined by all of you?"

"Well, someone's the sass queen today," Magnus muttered under his breath.

Thankfully, Iz came to my rescue. "Yeah, you guys, Simon did this perfectly. We're both okay right now."

"That's a relief," Jace said. "Because I was just about ready to kill him for you."

I felt myself whiten at the prospect.

Once more, Clary smacked him on the arm. "Don't worry, he won't." She even gave Jace a look of death to make sure of that.

"Well, I guess there is nothing else to see here," Magnus said without a care in the world. "Come on, Magnus."

"Let's all go, you guys," Clary said. "I think they've had enough embarrassment for one day."

When they left, I breated out a sigh of relief. I turned to look at Isabelle, who was too busy trying to contain her laughter.

"What's so funny?" I inquired.

She stifled her giggles. "Nothing."

I rolled my eyes, knowing it wasn't nothing, but I had other things on my mind. I knew that Isabelle couldn't really be with me unless she was stripped of her Shadowhunter marks, or I Ascended. I had heard that it doesn't always go according to plan, but I also didn't want Isabelle to give up the very thing that she has known her entire life just to be with plain old me.

"Simon," she said tenatively. "You're thinking about something; I can tell. What's wrong?"

I sighed. "Everything." She was taken back by my statement, but I pushed through with my explanation. "I know this is probably just me overreacting, but...how are we going to be together? I mean, I'm a mundane and you're a Shadowhunter. Aren't there Shadowhunter laws or something that say we can't be together?"