"What?!"

Three sets of voices filled Lizzy's ears, Simon's grip falling from her hand as he turned to look at her with disbelieving eyes. He hadn't expected Lizzy to agree with him. Clary? Maybe. But not Lizzy. In fact, Simon had readied himself for an argument, because he knew if Lizzy didn't come with him than Clary certainly wouldn't. Now? Now, his mind was blank, trying to figure out something to say to fill the tense silence.

He was beaten to the punch by Blondie.

"Lizzy," he began, moving towards her, his forehead creased as he moved the hair from his face with his hand, "you can't be serious. Think about this… think about Clary."

Lizzy sighed, bringing her fingers to the bridge of her nose where she pinched the skin, a new headache coming on. This one wasn't like the earlier ones, no, this one told her she was becoming stressed and frustrated, two things that were never a good combination with Elizabeth Fray.

"I am thinking about Clary," she replied, "I want to protect my little sister."

"And I can help."

Lizzy moved her eyes to meet Blondie's, "that's the problem," she continued, "because I need to protect her from all of this. Including you and your world." She took a step away from Blondie, moving closer to Clary who had yet to stop gaping openly at her. "I've known you for less than a week and I can already see just how dangerous the life you live is," she explained, "Clary and I… we're not Shadowhunters."

"But you are," Blondie tried to argue, "your fighting abilities, your runes, hell, the way you handled yourself at Pandemonium and in your apartment shows years of training. Shadowhunter training. I recognise it from my time in Idris."

"What's Idris?" Clary asked.

"It's like the Buckingham Palace of the Shadow World," Lizzy explained without realising what she'd actually said. She took in a breath of air, "look," she began again, her eyes now looking at the shoes Isabelle had lent her, "I appreciate everything you've done for us, really, I do. But our mum obviously wanted us out of this life…"

"But mum's not here right now, Lizzy," Clary finally interjected, "these Circle guys took her, and Jace is the only chance we have of getting her back." Clary turned to Simon, grabbing his hand and holding it to her chest as she looked at him, "Simon, I think Jace can help, but I don't want to do this without you. Please, Simon," she pleaded, her large eyes begging him to come with her.

"How do we know this Mick Jagger-looking guy is even gonna try-"

"Mundane, we do not have the time," Blondie hissed, his eyes no longer meeting Lizzy's as he tried to ignore the small pang of hurt he felt at her words.

"Come on, Simon, let's go."

Lizzy watched as Simon caved to her little sister, both teenagers walking back towards the church hand in hand. Blondie remained where he was, his eyes still refusing to meet hers as he spoke, "Lizzy, I promise I'll help you find your mum…"

"…I know you will," she interrupted, "but at what costs?" she questioned, "have either of you thought of that?" Lizzy tightened her hold on her jacket as she shook her head, her still wet hair clinging to her back. "I don't know much about the Circle, but it doesn't take a genius to realise that they're dangerous. I don't want to endanger the lives of anyone in that Institute," she continued, gesturing to the old church that Clary and Simon were waiting in front of.

"We endanger ourselves every day," Blondie told her, his hand coming up to rest against her cheek. He moved her head so she was forced to meet his eyes, "we protect Mundanes from the shadow world. Valentine is the biggest threat the Mundane world could possibly face and now it's our responsibility to stop him." His other hand came up to her face, moving a wet strand of hair behind her ear, "you have no idea what you'll be facing if you go off on your own. You could get yourself and your sister killed if Valentine's men catch up to you."

Lizzy shivered, a mix of the cold and fear as she heard Valentine's name again. It was like her body instinctually shied away from any mention of the guy. Her eyes moved to look for her little sister, who was talking with Simon, their heads close as they constantly threw looks at her and Blondie. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth, thinking over everything Blondie had said and was disgruntled to realise that he had a good point.

"Fine," she sighed, stepping away from his hands as she put her jacket on, "you're right."

"Of course, I am," he grinned.

Lizzy rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small quirk of her lips. Blondie grabbed her hand and began leading her over to the church. "What am I? Five?" she sassed, "I don't need you to hold my hand, Blondie, I'm a big girl you know?"

She tried to shake his hand off her own but he wouldn't let go and she glared at the back of his head as he led them passed Clary and Simon. Catching the two teenagers' smirks, Lizzy's eyes narrowed further. "Not. A. Word," she hissed, pointing between the two of them, earning a couple of snickers from them before they entered the church.

"Lizzy!" Isabelle exclaimed, running up to the aforementioned girl. Lizzy didn't miss the smirk on Isabelle's face when she spied her and Blondie's joined hands before she grabbed Lizzy's free hand. "Come with me," she told her, pulling her out of Blondie's grip and leading her away as Clary, Simon, and Blondie spoke.

"Where are we going?" Lizzy asked, recognising the path they were taking as the way to Isabelle's room.

"To do your hair," Isabelle replied simple, tugging Lizzy into her bedroom and making her sit at the vanity. "Love the jacket by the way," she complimented as she got out a curling iron and waited for it to heat up.

Lizzy smiled softly as she buried herself further into the jacket, "thanks," she replied, "Luke got it for me to stop me from taking his all the time."

"Who's Luke?"

The smile fell from Lizzy's face faster than it had appeared. "No one," she mumbled bitterly, wanting to remove the jacket and throw it away but not having the heart to do so. Luke might have hurt her, but he was the only father she knew and Lizzy loved him more than anything.

Isabelle did an excellent job at pulling Lizzy from her sombre thoughts, and for a small amount of time, Lizzy could just pretend everything was normal. She could pretend that she had known Isabelle her whole life, and that both of them were getting ready for a girl's night out. Lizzy could pretend that her little sister's eighteenth birthday didn't end with her mother being kidnapped and Lizzy almost being killed by a Ravener Demon. She could pretend that she was just Lizzy Fray, soon to be Officer Fray of the NYPD; not, Lizzy Fray, Shadowhunter.

"There," Isabelle finally said, smiling widely as she finished curling Lizzy's hair, "now you look perfect."

"I always look perfect," Lizzy sassed as she stood up and did a little twirl for Isabelle, who chuckled at the teenager.

"You and Jace are perfect for each other," she stated simply as she turned off the curling iron.

Lizzy raised an eyebrow, "you're kidding right? I don't think there would be enough room in a relationship for the four of us."

"Four?"

"Me, him, and our egos," Lizzy smirked.

Isabelle laughed, a fully bellied laugh that had her throwing her head back and her beautiful hair spilling over her back. "Oh," she grinned, when she managed to control her giggles, "I really do like you, Lizzy."

Lizzy smiled softly, warmth blossoming in her chest at Isabelle's words, "I like you too, Isabelle."

"Then you have to call me Izzy," she replied, entwining their fingers and closing the door to her room as they made their way back down the hall.

"Izzy and Lizzy," Lizzy smiled, "fashion friends."

"Sexy Shadowhunters."

Lizzy laughed, not wanting to ruin the moment by telling Izzy she wasn't a Shadowhunter. "Who was the cute mundane I found you with?" Izzy questioned, "does Jace have competition."

She snorted, "I'd have to like either of them romantically for there to be competition," she replied, "and Simon is in love with Clary."

"Ah, unrequited?"

Lizzy shrugged, "I don't think it's entirely unrequited."

"So, the mundane is off limits?" Izzy pouted.

"Have at it," Lizzy grinned slyly, "maybe if Clary sees someone other than Maureen interested, she'll finally come to terms with her feelings."

Izzy laughed but didn't get a chance to reply as they finally reached the main area of the Institute. She still kept her fingers entwined with Lizzy, who just shrugged and squeezed the hand gently.

"What's going on?" she heard Alec say as they got closer, "why is there a mundane in the Institute?"

"A circle member followed him to get to Lizzy and Clary," Blondie replied, spotting Lizzy over Alec's shoulder, the corner of his lips turning up as she saw her and Izzy's entwined fingers.

"A circle rune, just like the guys who took our mother," Clary confirmed, her eyes finally landing on Lizzy, "you okay?" she asked softly.

Lizzy shrugged, "ask me later," she told her sister, who nodded.

"What exactly is a Circle member and why are they trying to kill us?"

"I don't think they were trying to kill us," Lizzy piped up, "Blondie? Maybe. But it seemed like this Valentine guy wanted Clary captured."

"But not you?" Alec questioned, turning to Lizzy, his face pinched.

"Are your features frozen like that?" Lizzy asked instead, earning a confused look from Alec.

"Like what?"

Lizzy tilted her head to the side and smiled, "like you've just sucked on a lemon." She heard four sets of sniggers as she bopped Alec on the nose, "smile a little, sweetheart." Alec's eyes narrowed further and Lizzy huffed, "or don't," she continued, "might pull something anyway."

She heard Izzy giggle beside her and Blondie cover a laugh with a cough as Lizzy crossed her arms over her chest and pouted up at Alec, whose lips twitched before his face became blank again.

"Anyway," Blondie chuckled, getting the attention back on him, "all we know is… a long time ago, the Circle led a revolt. A lot of Shadowhunters got killed… including my father."

Lizzy felt a small pang of sympathy for him and took a small step forward, placing a small hand on his arm and squeezing gently as she offered him a small smile. He smiled back at her, his hand moving to hers and giving it a squeeze before Lizzy dropped it and moved back to stand by Izzy, ignoring the way the gorgeous brunette was smirking at her.

"And since the revolt we've been forbidden to even hear about the Circle," Alec finished.

"Just squares and triangles then?" Lizzy questioned, trying to diffuse the steadily rising tension. She shrugged when she received a bunch of blank stares and an 'are you serious, right now?' look from Clary and Simon, "it made sense in my head," she told them all.

Clary shook her head at her older sister and turned to look at Blondie, "but, how's that even possible? It's your history."

"Says the girl who didn't know she was a Shadowhunter?"

"Awkward," Lizzy coughed, earning another giggle from Izzy and a twitch of the lips from Alec. Lizzy gasped, pointing at the usually brooding man, "did you just smile?"

"No," he grunted, his face going blank again.

"I think you did," she sang, poking him lightly in the chest, "I think you like me, Mr. Lightwood."

Alec grunted again, not agreeing nor denying her claim and Lizzy was internally dancing as she grinned widely at Izzy. Izzy just laughed at the teenager.

"… someone out there who can tell us why they've taken our mother."

Lizzy shook her head as she zeroed back in on the conversation that had been happening in front of her.

"There is," Blondie nodded, looking at Lizzy, "you coming?"

"Not in public," she answered amusedly.

"Lizzy!" Clary hissed.

"What?!" Lizzy retorted.

"Can you be any cruder?" her little sister questioned, her eyes narrowed. Lizzy opened her mouth only for Clary to cover it with her hand, "never mind," she muttered, "I-I really don't want to know."

"I do," Blondie smirked.

Lizzy smirked back, though it wasn't visible because Clary's hand was still covering her mouth.

"Lizzy!" Clary shrieked, pulling her hand away from Lizzy mouth, "you bit me!"

"You'll live," she shrugged, "lead the way, Blondie."

"My name's Jace," he told her.

Lizzy shrugged, "we're not on a first name basis yet."

"You call Alec and Izzy by their names," he retorted.

"I like Alec and Izzy."

"And you don't like me?" Lizzy shrugged. "Everyone likes me," Blondie answered, looking offended.

Lizzy patted his shoulder in mock-kindness, "whatever helps you sleep at night."

Blondie huffed, but Lizzy didn't miss the way his lips twitched. Simon and Clary went to follow after him when he turned around only for Simon to be stopped by Blondie. "No, no, no. Not you," he said.

"Hey, we're a package deal," Clary argued.

Lizzy threw a 'see what I mean' look over her shoulder at Izzy who smirked and nodded.

"There are runes all over the training room floor that would kill your Mundie boyfriend."

She watched as Clary and Simon flushed before they both started stuttering.

"H-he's not my-"

"I-I'm not, like – we're, uh, just friends," Simon stammered.

"Best friends," Clary added, throwing her arm around Simon who smiled softly at her.

Lizzy face palmed, behind the two teens, an action that didn't go unseen by Blondie. She met his gaze and rolled her eyes at her sister and her friend, making Blondie smile and Lizzy wink at him before her face went blank as Clary turned to face her. Lizzy gave Clary a 'what?' look before smiling innocently.

"Yeah, and I'm tough," Simon continued, smacking Blondie playfully in the chest only to pull his hand away and shake it, trying to hide the small wince from Clary when he did. "I can handle runes. So, uh, bring on the runes." Simon looked to Lizzy, "what exactly is a rune?"

"Yeah, because I've totally read Shadowhunters 101," she replied sarcastically, "how the hell am I supposed to know, Si?"

"They give Shadowhunters our demon-fighting powers," Izzy answered, finally coming forward as she activated one of the symbols on her arm with her stele.

"So hot," Simon muttered.

Lizzy snorted, Izzy smiled, and Alec, Blondie, and Clary frowned. Blondie cleared his throat and Lizzy watched as Simon jumped, "uh, t-the rune," he added.

She watched the small interaction between Izzy and Simon, her eyes flickering to Clary to see her sister standing with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed slightly at Izzy. Lizzy honestly wished Clary would just come clean about liking Simon, but when she saw the red-head look away she knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

Lizzy tried her hardest not to snort as Simon introduced himself to Izzy before Blondie was assuring Clary that he was in safe hands.

"Jace," Clary sighed, "if anything happens to him…"

"Go on, I'll be fine. I think," Simon assured her.

Clary turned her gaze to Lizzy who had been oddly silent through the exchange but the older girl wasn't looking at any of them and seemed to be staring off into space. Clary coughed loudly and Lizzy jumped, her eyes refocusing as she turned her gaze to her little sister. "Were you even listening?" Clary questioned.

"Uh, no?" Lizzy replied.

Clary rolled her eyes and turned to Blondie, "where are we going?"

"Training room," he replied before he turned to look at Lizzy, "come on."

"Actually," Lizzy spoke up, "I think I'll stay here with Alec."

"What?" Alec, Clary, and Blondie asked.

Lizzy smiled at Alec, "we don't all need to talk to whoever it is you're going to talk to," she answered, her gaze returning to her little sister, "besides, you'll tell me everything they say, right?"

"Of course," Clary assured her.

"Then I'm going to stay with Alec and hopefully you can find out something about the bastards who took mum."

Clary nodded, knowing there was no use arguing with her sister. She turned and started making her way across the room, "Jace, coming?"

"Yeah," Blondie answered, dragging his eyes away from Lizzy who had already turned to talk to Alec, "I'm coming."

"That's Hodge Starkweather, our weapons trainer," Jace explained to Clary as they watched a duel between Hodge and a woman, "and, more important for us, a former Circle member. After, the uprising, Hodge repented and he was sent to live and work here to make amends. But he's forbidden to ever leave the Institute."

They approached Hodge when the duel was over and Hodge's attention immediately fell on Clary. "Jocelyn," he breathed.

Clary huffed nervously, wishing Lizzy had actually come with her, "uh, I'm Clary. Uh, Jocelyn Fray is my mother."

"Well, she was Jocelyn Fairchild when I knew her. And she was one of my best friends."

"She's been kidnapped," Clary began, her breath hitching as she blinked away tears, "by someone named Valentine and his men."

"By the Circle, Hodge," Jace added, his arms folded over his chest as he threw a look over his shoulder. He smiled softly as he saw Lizzy talking animatedly to Alec, his parabatai keeping a blank face but Jace could see the soft look in his eyes as he watched Lizzy wave her hands around and laugh.

"But that's impossible," Hodge replied, "Valentine's dead and the Circle died with him."

The sound of sizzling and the smell of burning flesh had Clary's eyes widening in horror as she spied the red circle on Hodge's neck. "What's happening?" she breathed, taking a cautious step back.

"I swore a vow never to speak of what we did. This is the Clave's way of making sure I keep that vow," Hodge explained through gritted teeth.

"W-we can't torture him, Jace. Is there anyone else we can ask?"

Jace shook his head, relief washing through him that Lizzy had actually decided not to come just so he wouldn't have to see the same horrified expression on her face as he saw on her sister's.

"If the Circle is really back… and they've taken Jocelyn… Our leader… Our leader of the Circle was Valentine Morgenstern. We thought he wanted to protect humans, like all Shadowhunters. But we never realised the lengths which Valentine was willing to go… the people he was willing to sacrifice. Most of humanity would die if we carried out Valentine's plan."

Clary couldn't believe what she was hearing, or what any of this had to do with her mother. So, she asked, and when Hodge gave her the answer she really wished she hadn't.

"Jocelyn was a member of the Circle as well."

"So," Lizzy began again, her conversation with Alec thus far completely one sided. Anyone less would have given up by now, aware that he wasn't going to talk, but Lizzy was stubborn and she was determined to get Alec to open up to her a little. "You shoot a bow, yeah?" she asked, vaguely recalling him using one at the club. Alec grunted and Lizzy rolled her eyes, "so, you're like, the male version of Katniss?"

"Who?" Alec finally asked, turning away from the monitor he had been watching to look down at Lizzy.

"Katniss." Seeing the blank look in his eyes, Lizzy collaborated, "the Hunger Games?"

Blank look.

"Okay, how about Hawkeye?"

Nothing.

"Legolas?"

Nada.

"Green Arrow?"

Nope?

"Robin Hood?" When Alec's face remained blank, Lizzy gaped at him, "seriously? Everyone's heard of Robin Hood!" His expression didn't change and Lizzy continued, "expert archer? Never misses? Takes from the rich and gives to the poor? Is any of this ringing a bell?"

Alec's face didn't change and Lizzy continued to gape at him before she physically shook her surprise off. "Anyway," she coughed, "you're good with a bow, yeah?" Another grunt. "Can you show me?" Lizzy asked.

"Why?"

Lizzy rolled her eyes at the monosyllabic reply. "Because I want to see how good you are," she answered.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No."

"Alec," she whined, drawing his name out as she entwined her fingers and looked up at him with a pout and wide eyes, "please, please, please, please, please…"

"…if I say yes will you shut up?!" Alec exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

"Yes."

"Fine!" Alec growled, moving over to the weapons hold to grab him bow and quiver.

"Yes!" Lizzy cheered, fist pumping the air. Alec turned to glare at her and she smiled innocently, "shutting up now," she assured him, scurrying to catch up with him and ready to see just how good he was.

"Clary, the Mortal Cup is the most important object in the Shadow World," Jace explained as he supported a heavily panting Hodge, "whoever possesses it can create more Shadowhunters."

"And in the wrong hands… control demons," Hodge added through tightly clenched teeth. "If Jocelyn hid the Cup from Valentine, then she's in more danger than you can possibly imagine."

Hodge fell to the ground as the circle burned brighter and more intensely.

"Hodge," Jace muttered, trying to help his trainer and friend.

"I hate to make you suffer," Clary cried, watching the man writhe with no small amount of guilt and horror.

"I'm so sorry," Hodge told her, "your mother was only trying to protect you. And now you must protect her. Stop Valentine… before he destroys us all."

Clary had so many more questions she wanted to ask but it was Jace who spoke first, "Clary, do either you or Lizzy know where the cup might be?"

"Who's Lizzy?" Hodge groaned, finally managing to get to his feet as the burning subsided.

"Clary's older sister."

"That's not possible," Hodge interjected before Clary could answer.

"What are you talking about?" Jace questioned, "you said Jocelyn was your best friend…"

"…which is how I know Jocelyn doesn't have another daughter," Hodge answered, looking at Clary who was shuffling nervously, "Jocelyn disappeared almost nineteen years ago, and when she did she didn't have a daughter. If Lizzy really was her daughter I would have known."

Jace looked at Clary who refused to meet his eyes. "Clary, what is he talking about?" he asked, taking a step forward.

"I-I-I," Clary stuttered, "I've got to go."

Clary turned on her heels and hightailed it out of the training room, Jace hot on her heels. "Clary!" he called as he jogged after her, "Clary, hey! Will you just stop for a minute?" He grabbed Clary's arm and pulled her into an empty hallway, away from prying eyes or ears, "why would Hodge think Lizzy wasn't your sister?"

"Lizzy is my sister," Clary hissed, ripping her arm from Jace's grip as she glared at him, her heart racing in her chest.

"But?" Jace asked, knowing there was more to it that Clary wasn't saying.

"But, what, Jace?" she muttered, running her fingers through her hair, "what more do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me the truth, Clary!" Jace exclaimed, his frustration with the teenager growing.

Clary fell against the wall, her back pressed firmly against it as she stared up at the ceiling, her eyes misty. "Lizzy is my sister," she muttered, "but we aren't biologically related."

Jace had been expecting the answer but found himself surprised none the less.

"When Lizzy was ten, Luke found her wandering the streets," Clary explained, unable to meet Jace's gaze as she spoke of something she had never spoke of with anyone but Simon. "She was battered and bruised, wouldn't speak a word to anyone, and seemed far more frightened than any child should have been," she continued, remembering the day Luke came home with Lizzy.

She had been so small, smaller than Clary, with her long brunette hair in tangles and scratches littering her face and hands. Clary remembered how much smaller she looked in Luke's jacket, the sleeves falling long passed her hands and the jackets swallowing her. She had barely been able to see the scuffed shoes Lizzy had been wearing that day.

"You didn't find it strange that no one filed a missing persons report?" Jace asked, leaning against the opposite wall.

Clary glared at him, "I was nine, Jace." She took in a deep breath and continued, "months went by and eventually mum said Lizzy was going to be staying with us, that she would be my new sister." Clary smiled softly, "I'd always wanted a sister, and even though Lizzy barely spoke, I'd grown to love her. So, had mum and Luke."

"Why didn't Lizzy tell us she was adopted?"

"Because she doesn't know," Clary answered, "when Luke found Lizzy, she couldn't remember anything except her name and how old she was."

"That doesn't explain how she doesn't know she's adopted," Jace reasoned.

Clary furrowed her brows, knowing he had a point, "I don't know why she doesn't know," she breathed, "mum just said we were never allowed to mention it to her and Lizzy seemed to always believe we were biologically related. In fact," she began, her brows furrowing further and her lips turning down in a frown.

"What?"

"Well," she coughed, "it's just… Lizzy has memories of growing up with me," she explained, "she can recount every birthday, every holiday, everything, since she was really little. If I hadn't known she was adopted I'd have actually believed we were biologically related."

Jace frowned.

"How is that possible?" Clary asked, looking to Jace for answers.

"That's not the most important question right now," Jace replied with a shake of his head.

"Than what is?" Clary huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Jace looked back towards the training rooms where he had seen Alec leading Lizzy, his bow in his hands and an aggravated yet amused look on his face. His eyes slowly returned to Clary's, the frown never leaving his face.

"If Lizzy isn't a Fray… who is she?"