Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments series. Everything recognisable belongs to Cassandra Clare.

So, as some of you might i've noticed I promised an epilogue for Undefined Darkness on my page, so here you go! I hope you like it.

I also wanted to say thank you to all of you, thank you for sticking with the story for almost a year and not giving up on me when I used almost a month to update. I really couldn't have asked for more. AND OMG, the story just passed 1000 reviews, that's just insane!

It had been a month since the war. He hated that she would not speak with him. He had already tried telling her that shutting down and pushing people away was not the answer. They had tried everything, even Alec and Isabelle had helped. It might have kept their minds off what had happened that night. They'd tried to pretend like it didn't affect them in the way Jace knew it did. Losing a father, Jace couldn't name anything worse.

That is why he had tried to get Clary back on her feet. She had lost a father too. He might not have been the greatest father figure in the world, but still.

"Jace.." Someone called from the other side of the room.

He looked up to find Isabelle standing in the door, her black hair falling into her eyes.

"Yeah?" He answered short, sending her a smile.

"Mom told me to tell you dinner is ready, if you want some." She explained, her voice was livelier than the last time they'd spoken, and the secret smile forming on her lips made him smile too.

"I'll be down in five." He told her, watching her close the door.

He didn't think much about it. Maybe it was just one of the few good days out of many bad. Everything had been so dark since the war.

Iwan went back to the Academy two weeks ago, along with Max who had chosen to leave with his best friend as well. Even though Jace knew that would be for the best, he couldn't help but miss both of them.

xxxx

"Please, Miss Fairchild," the new Inquisitor, Abby Lovelace, smiled, "take a seat."

Abby Lovelace was a lot younger than the last Inquisitor was. About thirty-five if Clary hadn't misheard her mother during dinner. Clary hadn't really paid much attention to anything the last month.

She did as the woman wanted. Sitting down on a rather uncomfortable chair facing the woman with short brown hair. Clary noticed she had an ugly looking scar on her neck, looking red and new. She knew what that meant. The current Inquisitor had been a part of the fight going down a month ago.

"I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me, Miss Fairchild." Clary looked up at her, meeting her grey eyes.

"It's Morgenstern." Clary bit her lip in a nervous manner.

Lovelace gave Clary a firm nod. If she had been surprised or angered by Clary's decision to keep her father's surname, she hid it well.

"Of course, Miss Morgenstern, then. First, I would like to thank you on the behalf of all Shadowhunters of the Clave, for your participation in the fight against your father and the Circle. I want you to know that the return of the two lost Mortal Instruments is well recognized amongst Shadowhunters, and we are all grateful." Abby's smile was genuine, but Clary couldn't find it in her to return the wide smile.

"Thank you." Clary replied short. "Pardon me for asking, but why am I here?" She saw Abby Lovelace send her a mixed glance.

"Excuse me?" Abby retorted.

"I mean, I just find it quite unlikely that you, one of the busiest people of the Clave at the moment, found time in your schedule for a meeting that regarded only a thank you." Clary sent her a short smile this time, noticing the other woman's stiffness. Clary hated to say it, but she enjoyed the sudden change of position.

"I would say the Clave strikes me as more of a 'send a thank-you card with a very misleading text written on it' type." Clary explained, easing the tension a bit. Seeing the woman crack a small smile.

"Well, I hate to inform you that you are very correct, Miss Morgenstern." Inquisitor Lovelace nodded, "This is not just about a thank you."

"You already know we've had a few meetings, seeing as you've attended some of them As you might recall your trial a month ago was cut short, and the Council of that time never got to discuss your penalty.." Abby told her with a steady voice.

"My what?" Clary almost stood up from her chair. "If I am not mistaken, Inquisitor, I was freed of all charges." Clary snapped at the woman.

"You still are, Clarissa." The Inquisitor reassured, sending her a half-hearted smile, which Clary, did not return.

"Then why the hell did I have to come here today?" Clary felt her anger rise fast. She'd believe this was over. How stupid could she be? After a few meetings those weeks ago, she'd thought they had come to their conclusions. She'd actually believed there was something good that had come of all this mess.

"Clarissa, there are people who are still concerned with where your loyalty rests, and I will inform you, I am not one of them. There has been a few meetings, and the Clave has decided that, since you are still under the age of eighteen, you will have to complete your unfinished Shadowhunter training at the Shadowhunter Academy of Alicante." Abby explained.

Clary didn't reply, somehow she didn't quite believe what the other woman had told her. She was still waiting for the moment Abby would burst out laughing, telling her it was just a joke, and a bad one at that. However, Inquisitor Abby Lovelace did not even crack a smile.

"NO WAY." Clary let out an angered sigh.

"I am sorry, Clarissa, but I have already spoken with your mother, and she agreed. I just wanted to be the one to inform you." Abby's voice was stronger as she spoke now.

"That's.." Clary snorted, "That's bullshit. I don't need training, and certainly not with a bunch of unskilled amateurs produced by brainwashed old lunatics."

"I am glad you think as highly of us as most of the Nephilim of the Clave was afraid of." Abby exclaimed; her voice was not friendly, rather sarcastic if Clary had to describe it.

"I hate to inform you, but the Clave tried to kill me. Not once, not even twice but three times." Clary snapped back.

"Four actually." Lovelace smirked, "But we were distracted by a rather nasty Vampire situation in Italy. You see, if you thought the Vampires in our country were bad, you haven't met the Roman Vampire Clans. Real trouble."

"I don't care." Clary told Abby, her tone harsh. "I don't want to go to your stupid Academy."

"Don't you think you're acting a bit childish, Clarissa?"

"No, I honestly don't think so. I don't even understand how, if people don't trust me, they are willing to let me near their precious children." Clary chucked.

"You don't have to be concerned about that Clarissa, that's my problem not yours." Abby explained. "And as I said earlier, this is not a request of any sort; I am just informing you about what is going to happen."

Clary flashed the woman a false smile, "Great."

xxxx

There were only five other people sitting around the table. Alec and Izzy sat next to their mother. The empty chair next to the Lightwood mother was like a physical blow in the stomach. It was as if he forgot they had died and then rediscovered it every day. In addition, it hurt just as much every day.

"Hey. I didn't know it was going to be that kind of dinner." Jace smiled, referring to all the nice dressed people. Celine and Stephen smiled back at him.

"Maybe we are celebrating something." Jace's mother flashed him a bright smile.

"Oh, and what could that possibly be?" he asked, "Please tell me I didn't forget someone's birthday." Jace added, making his mother laugh a little. It was nice hearing someone laugh. They had all been lacking a bit of laughter for the last month.

"No, no one's birthday, but I can inform you that yours is in fact just around the corner." Celine smiled.

"Oh, you don't say, it's not like," Jace laughed, acting as if he blushed a little, "you know, I've been counting down the days until my birthday since January last year." Isabelle and Alec chuckled at the boy sitting down next to them. "No, because that would be stupid." Alec replied.

"Totally." Jace agreed. He was about to help himself with the food when he noticed four empty laid plates.

"Are we expecting guests?" Jace asked surprised.

"Yeah," Stephen replied, "Your mother and Maryse decided they would invite the Fairchilds over, it's been a long time since we've seen them."

Jace knew that too well, how long it had been since they'd seen the Fairchilds and the one Morgenstern in the family. Clary had told him she needed some time to think. To clear up the thoughts in her own head before she would take on the task of understanding someone else's. Jace understood that. But it had been more than three weeks since he'd talked to any of them.

"But we got a message from Luke a few minutes ago; they are running a little late."

"Are all of them coming?" Jace asked, trying not to sound too desperate.

"I don't know, all I know is that Clary is the reason they are running late." Celine sent her son a crooked smile. "I really don't know."

"That's fine." Jace lied, "Maybe you could make use of the time we have to wait, and tell me why this is such a big day?" Jace suggested.

"Oh, I had almost forgotten." Stephen laughed.

"Don't lie, you had most certainly not forgotten that." Isabelle laughed back at Jace's father.

"Okay, I hate to be a killjoy here, but can we please get to the point?" Jace interrupted.

"Yeah." Stephen nodded, "Well, Maryse got a call from the Academy, and it looks like you're both back on the student lists. Participating in saving the Nephilim has its benefits."

"WHAT?" Jace grinned, "Are you for real?"

"It's for real." Celine smiled.

"Do you mean I'll finish my training at the Academy instead of this.." Jace waved his one hand around the room, "this place?" a grin forming on his lips.

"Surprisingly enough, they are letting you back in." Alec smirked back at his best friend, "Don't ask how, it's still one of earth's greatest mysteries."

Jace shot his parabatai a dangerous look, "Hey, be careful, Lightwood!" Jace told him in a serious voice.

"I think I can manage whatever you-" Alec stopped mid-sentence due to few irritated voices coming from the halls.

"Looks like our guests have arrived." Maryse said, getting up from her seat.

Jace felt Isabelle flash him a great smile, knowing she could practically read his thoughts.

xxxx

"I'm not going there; I can't believe you made such a huge decision without even ask me about it first!" Clary felt her voice vibrate off her tongue in sharp sounds.

"Clary, I didn't ask you first because I knew this would be your reaction." Jocelyn told her.

"Of course this is my reaction!" Clary shouted angry.

"Clary, can't you just look at our alternatives here?" Luke reasoned calm.

"There are other alternatives?" Clary snapped at him, not bothering to gather her voice.

"No, that's the point!" Jocelyn tried to make her understand, and deep down, Clary did understand what they were trying to tell her. She just didn't like it.

Jonathan entered the room wearing a traditional button-up shirt with one rolled up sleeves and a pair of dark jeans.

"What the hell is going on in here?" he asked as he tried to get the other sleeve rolled up to match the first.

"Nothing." Clary told him, studying his nice clothes. "Are you going somewhere?" she asked after a little while.

Jon sent her a bemused look, "Yeah, and so are you." His eyes wandered from Clary to the other redhead in the room, "You didn't tell her? We are supposed to leave in ten minutes."

"I know.." Jocelyn sighed, "Luke, can't you message Maryse and tell them we're a little behind schedule?" she asked, giving Luke a short kiss on the cheek before the werewolf left the room.

Clary bit her lips, waiting for her mother to look at her again. "You're going over to the Institute?" Clary asked.

Jocelyn nodded, "Yes, Clary, and so are you."

Jocelyn was about to leave the room when Clary called out after her, "I don't think I'll be coming with you."

She noticed her mother's shoulders fall. She turned back around, trying to send her daughter a smile. "Are you sure, sweetie, I think it would be a nice change to leave the house a bit, don't you?" Jocelyn asked in a careful voice.

Clary decided not to answer instead she just shrugged her shoulders bored.

xxxx

Jonathan, Jocelyn and Luke entered the dining room, all complimenting Celine and Maryse on the outstanding food they had prepared.

"Oh, but you really didn't have to wait for us." Jocelyn smiled as she sat down next to Luke.

"Of course we had to." Celine beamed at her parabatai, "Where's Clary?" She asked.

Luke and Jocelyn shared a worried look, "Ehhm, she's dealing with some stuff right now, and couldn't make it." Luke told them; an obvious lie.

There was an awkward silence hanging in the air after that, before Maryse decided to break it. "Okay, I think we've all waited long enough. Dig in!" She put on a brilliant smile, but they could all see the woman's struggle to keep her face up.

They stayed at the Institute for almost three hours. Chatting about Isabelle and Jace's good news, catching up on what everyone had been doing the last few weeks and keeping the small talk rolling.

It was not until midnight, after the Fairchild family had left, the last of them stumbled onto the floor from an iridescent portal in the Institute's library.

Clary walked through the room, taking in the sight of the old books she'd searched through only a few months ago.

"Clary?" a sweet female voice called out in surprise.

Isabelle walked down the row of bookshelves. Ignoring Clary's dislike of freely shown emotions, Isabelle threw her arms around Clary's neck, forcing her into a tight hug.

"We've all missed you so much; I can't believe you've avoided us for a month!" Isabelle's voice was accusing.

"I didn't avoid you, I was busy." Clary lied, fully aware Isabelle did not believe her.

"And I hate to say it, but I've missed you too." Clary flashed the girl a bright smile.

"Of course you have, how could you not?" Isabelle laughed, walking after Clary over to the middle of the room, where the old couch stood. Clary had almost forgotten how much she had loved sitting there; it used to be her escape back in the days.

"So," Isabelle asked, sitting down in a chair facing Clary, "What brings you here this late? You missed dinner." Isabelle informed Clary.

"I know." Clary bit her lip, "That was kind of the plan." She said earnest.

"Really? Thanks for telling me.." Izzy smirked, "I couldn't have figured that out on my own." Clary felt her lips tug upwards as the other girl spoke, but it interrupted by another voice in the door.

"IZ!" Alec shouted before he could enter the room. "YES!" He laughed, "Hey, Jace! You owe me ten bucks."

"She's there?" Another, slightly unclear voice rang from the hall.

"Yep," Alec noticed Clary sitting on the couch, "And she's got company as well."

"Did you seriously bet on me being in the library?" Izzy asked, a chuckle escaping her mouth.

"Yep." Alec repeated, sitting down next to Clary on the old, well-used couch.

"Are you drunk?" Isabelle asked again, this time an accusing tone in her voice.

"Yep." Alec repeated another time, smiling brighter than Clary had ever seen the boy smile.

"I.." Clary began, feeling quite uncomfortable with the whole situation. Regretting her impulsive decision to teleport inside the Institute. "I should probably get going; it was really nice talking to you Isabelle." Clary's smile failed her at the last second.

"N-n-n-n-, no, no!" Drunk-Alec protested, "I know somebody," he paused, pointing at the empty doorway, "someone who would very much like to see yeah." Alec told her.

Clary nodded her head, "Mhm, that's nice and everything, but I don't think that's a good idea." Clary told him.

"Oh? And why is that?" Clary jumped at the sound of his voice, the hair on her arms standing up from her skin.

Jace entered the library with his arms crossed and a smirk on his mouth, watching Clary like it was his life mission.

"Because," Clary began, feeling more nervous than she'd been when she made that stupid portal.

"Because?" Jace knitted his eyebrows, "I thought someone like you, Clary, would be capable of providing us with a better comeback than that." His smirk never left his lips.

Clary didn't answer, which resulted in Jace walking up to them, and sitting down it the last unoccupied chair around the coffee table.

"But of course, you are free to leave, Clary." He said, his voice filled with a suppressed irritation that he tried to hide behind another smug smirk. "As you may have noticed, you're not longer a prisoner here." He finished. Isabelle sent him an angry gaze, whispering something Clary couldn't hear.

Isabelle turned to Clary, smiling too brightly, "And if you have ever wondered, Alec is obviously the happy drunk, and here we have the perfect example of an extremely grumpy drunk."

Clary didn't smile back. Her eyes fell on Jace, "He's not drunk." Clary told Isabelle.

"No, I'm not." Jace clarified, "I'm just.." Jace looked straight at Clary, his eyes searching hers, "I'm angry." He told her honest.

"Jace!" Isabelle hissed at him again.

"No, I am." His voice was calm, which might've been the reason Clary let him talk without interrupting. Her eyes locked in his, gold crashing with the emerald colour of her irises.

"It's not fair to anyone, that you can lock yourself away, that you can ignore us like you have been doing for the last month, not caring enough to see if any of us are alright. Maybe you should've been there for Iz, her father just died you know. And Iwan, he worried nonstop about you, until he was forced to leave because school started up again. And I know the last month hasn't exactly been easy for any of us, but at least we," Jace pointed at Alec and Izzy, "we stuck together, you just took off!"

"You're pathetic, Herondale!" Clary hissed back, her annoyance tipping over, "You know nothing, okay? Do you think I've just been out living my perfect life now that my father is dead?" Clary stood up, unable to sit down due to the frustration running through her body, "Do you think I have had it easy? I've been to so many meetings listening to people trying to tear my future apart. I've had to sit through hours upon hours with the people who just a few months ago was all too happy with me being dead. I've had to fight through every goddamn day, trying to push the fact that I killed my own father out of my head!" Clary took a deep breath before continuing, "So yeah, Herondale, I pushed some people away! I ignored everyone, and I don't even feel bad about it. Because do you know what it feels like to know you killed someone you care about? Because I do! And I am the only person who has to live with that!" Clary couldn't see her own face, but she was pretty sure her eyes were about to burn a hole through Jace. Anger filling every part of her.

Nobody said anything, even Alec had lost his gleeful smile.

It wasn't until a few minutes later, Isabelle asked, "Why have you been to meetings with the Clave?"

Clary rolled her eyes, hating herself for being mad at Izzy too, but right now, she just couldn't help it.

"They can't decide whether to just lock me up or leave me alone." Clary answered monotone. She noticed Jace tensed his muscles as she spoke.

"What do you mean they can't decide? They already voted on that." Isabelle argued.

"Don't ask me.."Clary shrugged, "Ask your Clave." The tone in her voice was sour, which made Isabelle wince, "Is that why you didn't come today?" Isabelle asked.

Clary shrugged again.

"It was nothing." Clary told her.

"Nothing?" Jace was the one to answer, his voice still a little harsh, but not anything like earlier. "It sounds pretty serious too me." He explained.

"They aren't killing me, if that's what you're thinking. Not directly at least." Clary spat the last part angry, watching the colour drain out of their faces.

"What?" Jace asked, all anger gone from his shocked voice.

Clary looked at him, deciding whether to reply or not, "As if not all those meetings were humiliating enough, they are sending me to the fucking Academy of Shadowhunters." Clary's voice was full of disgust as she spoke the last part.

Shocked silence followed her words. Alec broke the silence by letting out the weirdest sound Clary had ever heard. His laughter sounded like someone was dying. Even Isabelle started chuckling lightly.

"What?" Clary asked surprised.

She saw the trademark smirk plastered on Jace's lips again, "Oh nothing, Sweetheart." He pressed his lips together, "Just that.." Jace reached for something in his pocket. A folded piece of paper.

He threw the paper at Clary, who caught it by reflex. "What is this?"

"Just open it." He had a silly smirk on his face as he spoke.

Clary unfolded the letter, reading the first line. 'Dear Mr. Herondale. We are hereby granting you the forgiveness of the Clave for your foolish and reckless behaviour on the night of August 28th 2007. Therefor the Nephilim of the Clave have decided you will be returning to Shadowhunter Academy of Alicante.' Clary looked up, confusion covering her face.

"Oh." She whispered after a while.

"Mhm." Jace nodded.

"Well, I guess that's good." Clary felt a faint smile fall on her lips.

"Mhm." Jace repeated.

"Alec.." Isabelle interrupted, standing up and walking over to her brother who was about to fall asleep on the couch, "I'll walk you to your room." She told him.

Alec obediently followed Isabelle out, and Clary was positive she saw her mouth 'idiot' under her breath as she dragged the sleepy Shadowhunter out of the room.

"I'm sorry." Jace whispered after the doors closed.

Clary smiled, "You should be." She told him.

"I know, it was really not my place to shout at you." He agreed.

"Yeah." Clary nodded her head, "You couldn't even tell me what you were really thinking."

"What?" Jace raised an eyebrow bemused.

"I mean, come on, 'Iwan was worried?'" She laughed.

"He was." Jace protested.

"I'm sure he was." Clary agreed with a small smile tugging at the corner of her lip.

"He was." Jace repeated, chuckling lightly.

"You're so stupid, Herondale!" Clary replied, sitting down on the couch's armrest.

"Don't call me that.. Herondale I mean." He looked at her, stepping towards her. "I think we're past that."

"Fine, Jace, you're so stupid." She smiled.

"That sounds so much better." He smirked, letting his lips brush over hers.

Clary pressed her lips against his, feeling the warm touch of his parted lips on hers.

"Yeah," Jace looked down at her, his hands on both sides of her hips, "I think I can get used to this." He told her, his smug smile still there.

"I bet you could." She agreed with a sarcastic tone to her voice.

"You really want to bet, Clary?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No." Clary replied, rolling her eyes, "Not really." Her eyes caught his as he sent her a bright smile.

"Too bad, because.." Jace kissed her neck carefully, "we've got so much time figuring it out." He whispered.

And another little thing, as you might notice, this was a weird ending.. Because so many of you wanted a sequel, you're getting one!

Please leave a review, telling what you thought of the story! that would be the greatest thing ever!