The Mortal Instruments: City of Past Ghosts (Book 1)

Chapter 2: Dwelling in the Past

I'm back, lovelies! I hope you haven't been gnawing each other's heads off, waiting for this second chapter. ILYA and I give you the second chapter. Enjoy

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Chapter 2: Dwelling in the Past

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Jace muttered to himself, hunched in the cold weather of London.

He had to admit...he missed the New York Institute...Brooklyn though the place held so many precious yet unwanted memories of...Clary.

Just thinking of her made Jace's heart squeeze tightly in his chest. He pushed hair out of his eyes, looking at the pavement.

He didn't know why he came here in the first place. He didn't quite have the authority to leave his duties in New York by the Clave but what they didn't know wouldn't kill them. Or in this case, Jace.

There was no solid, dire reason for Jace to be here. He just felt like he needed to get away...

He was on his way to meet an old friend–not in the way of how long they had been friends but more of age—in the outskirts of London.

James Carstairs.

Thinking of Jem, Tessa and unwillingly...Clary, Jace didn't see where he was going until he rammed into someone.

Jace's head snapped up, ready to give the stranger one of his legendary cuss outs though it was partially his fault. "What the—" When he looked up, he froze, hanging in mid sentence.

He had rammed into someone small and petite, short with red hair and looked exactly like—

Jace sucked in a sharp breath that felt like a blade dripping in demon ichor shoved down his throat.

Clary.

"Clary?" Jace gasped, feeling giddy.

"Sorry," the girl who looked like Clary mumbled.

She didn't look up at Jace and continued to where she was walking to.

Jace wanted to run after her, grab her arms and force her to look at him but his feet stayed planted to the concrete pavement, frozen in shock and disbelief.

Jace watched as the girl who looked like Clary got into the cab and watched the cab drive off.

That couldn't have been Clary, could it?

His Clary was no longer with them...gone...

Then and there, Jace thought he was going to break down on the street there and cry like a girl for the girl he loved most in the world.

Instead, he shook his head harshly, trying to clear his thoughts.

He started walking again, in the direction of Jem's home, his thoughts dwelling in the past.

.......

"Jonathan!" Jem said, pleased.

Jace smiled ruefully at him, earlier's bump in still shaking him to his core. His heart.

"It's Jace, Jem." Jace reminded as the former Silent Brother invited him into his home.

"Jonathan is a grand Shadowhunter name and the Herondales have always—" Jem started, going into one of his 'How Grand the Herondale Family is' speeches. Jace rolled his eyes.

"For the Angel's sake, Jem, let the poor boy be. If it's Jace he wants, it's Jace he gets." an exasperated yet serious voice said. Jace looked up as Tessa Gray turned the corner to greet Jace.