Jace Wayland and Clary Fray, the starcrossed lovers from District 2

Chapter 4 ~ The train to the Capitol

Clary stares her eyes out on the train to the Capitol. She's sitting in her compartment when Effie walks inside and says she has to get dressed for dinner. When she walks inside the dining room Effie, Sean and her mentors are already sitting around the table. Two minutes later Jace and Isabelle walk inside together as well. Effie is very enthusiastic and says what all the food is, but Clary isn't able to focus on it. She can only think about Simon being in District 2, will he be with Jocelyn right now? Suddenly everyone's looking at her. 'Huh, what?' 'Effie asked if you don't want to eat anything,' Sean says. 'Oh uh no I'm not really hungry,' she answers. She notes Isabelle is talking with the mentors about strategies but all Clary can think about is home. Then suddenly she sees Jace is staring at her.

When Jace sees Clary is looking at him he turns his head away and he starts a piece of meat Effie calls 'Marmalade pork', they'd had a lot of things in District 2 but he'd never had this before. While eating he's thinkinga bout Max, what a nightmare this must be for that small kid... His sister, his halfbrother both gone. 'Hey Jace, what's our strategie?' Izzy asks curiously. 'Oh uh I don't know yet, just staying alive?' While Isabelle starts chatting about her strategie Jace's eyes wander to Clary again, who's pricking her food with her fork. He wants to ask her what's the matter but he doesn't dare to say anything, what if she doesn't like him? They hadn't spoken to each other before.

Clary becomes frustrated by Jace's sharp blue/green eyes. 'Can you please stop staring?' she asks arrogantly. Jace raises his eyebrow. She's snappy, he thinks. He had never seen a girl who didn't want Jace to look at her before. Jace glances down and Clary immediately regrets what she just said. She pushes back her chair and without pardon she leaves the table, Jace's eyes following her. 

In her room she can't control her emotions anymore and the tears begin to fall. Only Simon visited her back in District 2, where was her mother? She thinks about her father, who she never really knew, and she thinks about Luke. She hadn't even seen him today. She's missing him already, and it hurt her that all of them had to see Clary die. Because who is Clary compared to Isabelle, or Jace who are all much stronger, and all look better. And people who look good always get lots of sponsors. Clary doesn't think of herself as handsome, that's clear. She has red hair, and nobody wants red hair. She wishes she looked more like her mother, handsome, tall and a good figure. Simon would say she shouldn't be so emotional. She hears his voice in her thoughts and she assumes he's really saying that. With that in her mind she musters courage to go back, and when she opens the door of her room, she sees a drunk Haymitch...

Isabelle, who knows that Jace likes Clary, looks at him with a questioning look. Jace shrugs. Isabelle pities Jace but thinks Jace will have to get over his crush on Clary because they're going into the arena together. He should understand that it's impossible to get out of this alive together. She doesn't understand why he took Simon's place in the Games just to tell Clary what he feels for her. 

Sean isn't happy with the fact he's picked to go into the arena this year. He would have preferred to go next year so he would have to fight less tributes and he would be even better prepared. But now that he is picked he'll just enjoy everything, so he stuffed himself with food and he's talking to his mentors about the luxe of the Capitol.  

Jace doesn't like Clary's remark at all but he does understand it, how could he be so stupid to stare to her, now he doesn't make any chance to have her anymore. He hasn't eaten anything since Clary left so he leaves the room too. He wants to walk back to his compartment when he sees Haymitch and Clary in the hallway together. Jace hides behind a corner to listen in on Harymitch and Clary, he knows he shouldn't do this but maybe they're talking about him? 'As a mentor I have to arrange sponsers, you and that boy can take care of that. I see a lot of sponsors in your future, girl.' Haymitch says. Boy? Which boy? Sean? Are Clary and Sean gonna get a lot of sponsors? Jace thought concerned. 'I'm not gonna show my feelings on live television, Haymitch!' Clary said. Jace turned around and walked to his own room, Clary and Sean, they'll be a good couple. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor Jace thought. But when Jace is about to close the door he hears a soft shriek from Clary. He immediately runs towards her and he sees Clary knuckle down while crying. A red handprint appeared on her cheek. Clary cried and Jace's heart broke. Haymitch just stood there looking at her, and neither of them knew that Jace was there too. Haymitch pulled her up and pushed her against the wall. His lips almost touching hers. He laughed and Jace could smell the alcohol from where he was standing. 'Now you are gonna listeen to me, Clarissa.' he said softly. 'You're gonna do as I say, or you're gonna get more handprints on your body. And you know you don't want that, beauty.' Beauty? Why is he calling her beauty? Jace thought. 'I'm so s-s-sorry.' Clary stuttered. And then Haymitch pressed his lips to Clary's. Clary hit Haymitch in the face and he takes her wrists. Jace couldn't stand it and slowly he walked towards them. Meanwhile he takes his stele from his boot and draws a silence rune on himself so that Clary and Haymitch won't hear him coming. Clary is hit in the face again, and again. And then Haymitch looks at her. 'What did I just tell you, princess?' 'That I-' Haymitch laughed again, which made Clary cry even more. 'I told you that you and Sean are gonna play for the camera's, but while those aren't on, princess, I'd like to see you with me.' and he presses his lips in her neck. Clary didn't fight it this time, she knew she couldn't win from a drunk Haymitch. Jace couldn't stand it anymore, but what could he do? He decided to turn around when Clary let out a shriek. That was the last straw, he walked towards them, got his knife from his other boot and got Haymitch by the neck. He touches Haymitch throat with the knife and tells Clary to go inside, and she does that.