"Please, notice me" (Shadowhunters)

The Downworld

Jace entered the cafe with Luke. They covered up their tunes and were acting like mundanes.

"- Hopefully this won't take too long. I have lunch with Maryse later.

- So things are going good with my mom I guess.

- Jace I never thought it would happen but I'm really happy about it. I'm happy I just miss something..."

They sat down at the table not too far from the counter. They kept talking like two people who met up once a week for a debrief. They heard the back door opening and Jace instantly looked up thinking it was the manager. Instead of him he saw a beautiful girl walking out of there... a beautiful girl who used to be his. The ginger of her hair brought back so many memories, he could still feel the softness of it on his finger. He saw the beautiful eyes looking around the place until they saw him. The two pair of eyes locked together and nothing else mattered.
Jace heard a voice in front of him but didn't pay attention to it, all he was looking at was her and her eyes. She smiled at him before she turned her head and walked behind the back door again. The outside world was back.

"- Jace what's going on? Are you ok?

- We need to leave. Now.

Clary was his little secret. The fact that she remembered him made him feel special and he didn't want to see if she would remember someone else. He always hoped that their love was stronger than the will of the angels but what if she simply... remembered?

- Jace we are on mission. We can't leave. Sit down. What's going on?

- Can I get you something?

Luke froze when he heard the voice. He looked at Jace and he finally understood what was going on; she was here. No, he couldn't do it. He couldn't look at her and act like he didn't know her. He couldn't. He saw her growing up, she called him dad... Jace slightly smiled.

- Hi, I'll get a latte please and for my friend...?

- My favorite, laughed Clary.

- I know....

She frowned her eyebrows but didn't say anything. She looked at Luke waiting for his order. She didn't seem to recall his face.

- Water, please.

She smiled.

- It was nice to see you again Jace. Could you come back after I finish work? I need to talk to you about something important."

Clary walked away and Luke and Jace stared at each other for a few seconds before one of them broke the silence.

- Jace you don't drink coffee.

- I know but it was her favorite coffee.

- You need to stop doing this. You can't speak to her after her work Jace. You just can't.

- But what if she remembers Luke? If she sees through the glamour she is in danger and you know it.

- Jace, her manager is a vamp, he whispered that word, if she didn't realize it, it means that she doesn't have the sight. Here, look at him and just do the mission."

The manager was on the phone at the counter talking to someone. Jace didn't manage to activate his rune to hear the conversation. If the demon saw the stele they would be in serious trouble with no weapons.
The door of the cafe opened and two vampires walked in, they went straight to the counter where Clary's manager was.

"- You've got what we asked for?

- Always. Just be careful outside I saw three shadowhunters walking around.

- Don't worry, they don't even know what's going on. Any news from Praetor?

- Nothing yet, we still have to wait. I think the army is not ready or he wants to attack by surprise.

- We're safe anyway. The head of the New York institute and Alicante are too busy doing whatever they're doing. They don't realize what's going on.

Luke and Jace glanced at each other. They didn't hear what the manager responded because the door of the cafe opened again.

- It smells like angel blood here."

Jace turned his head and instantly and knew he made a mistake. The new demon entering the place understood that Jace had nephilim blood. He walked towards Jace and tried to attack him. It was too late, Jace had time to take his stele and activate his speed rune. The two shadowhunters ran out of the place and straight to the institute. Whatever they heard back there wasn't good. The shadow world is preparing a war against them and Jace and Luke were the only one knowing about this. If this was the case Clary was in great danger. If Jace's thoughts were right she will start remembering and she'll eventually get the sight back. When this happens he will bring her to the institute but right now he needed to stay as far away as possible from her. It was the safest decision.

Brooklyn Cafe

The young woman finally finished work. She was exhausted and the ghost of her dreams that were still in her head didn't help. She couldn't stop thinking about him and every time she thought of him a new image appeared. Could they be memories? She didn't but the more it happened the more she was sure that something was going on. She had visions during the day of weird letters...? Or shapes. She didn't know how to call them.
She took her notepad from work and flickered through the pages; a hundred of doodles showing these weird shaped letters. She needed to speak to Jace, he was the one who triggered all of this. She needed sleep and answers.
She waited there for what felt like hours but he never came. Disappointed and scared she walked back to her apartment getting mentally ready for the night ahead of her. If the hallucinations were appearing, the dreams were gonna be worse. She didn't know if she could handle all of this on her own. She needed to speak to Jace.