Izzy's POV

"Jace," I sigh as I step into his room and walk over to sit on the edge of his bed. It's been a year since we lost Clary. "Jace, wake up."

His whimpers escape his lips as he thrashes around in his sleep and I place a hand uncertainly on his arm. "Clary!" He sits up in bed urgently - grabbing my hand and pulling me tightly into his arms.

"Jace, it's me. Izzy," I mumbled against his shoulder. "You had a bad dream, that's all."

"Izzy?" He whispers and slowly lets me go. I look up to see his amber eyes filled with disappointment. "I-I thought you were..."

"Clary?" I whisper, watching the pain that flickers across his face. "She's been gone for a year, Jace, you know that."

"I know," he snaps, flopping back against the headboard and throwing an arm over his eyes. He's grown so much in the last year having thrown himself into training. The muscles in his arms ripple as he tugs slightly at his blond hair and I sigh. "Sometimes I forget. I think we're still in London and I've just fallen asleep on the floor by her bed again."

I look down at the parabatai rune on my chest which is slightly obscured by the tshirt I was sleeping in before Jace woke me up. It burnt for a long time in the months after Clary's disappearance. Now it is numb just like I am. Of course I miss Clary but it is easier to pretend like she never existed than to keep crying myself to sleep every night. Jace has not been able to do this, however.

"Do you think she's still alive?" He whispers and I blanch.

"Of course. I would have felt it if she wasn't."

"I suppose." Jace pulls his arm away from his eyes and looks out the window across the city. "But why wouldn't she come back to us if she was still alive? We were her family."

I shrug before standing up, my expression hard. To remember the pain of losing Clary would be accepting weakness. "Get some sleep, Jace."

"Izzy," Jace says softly as I reach the door, making me stop with my hand on the doorknob. "I miss her."

"I miss her too," I say, devoid of emotion, before leaving.

I peel open my eyes and take in my surroundings. It's not my room, nor am I in the Institute. The bed I am in is hard and unfamiliar, the covers blue instead of my red ones. Sitting up, I look around and rub my eyes. Asleep next to me is a stranger. He has short black hair and dark skin but no runes. Please, Angel, say I didn't end up back in that werewolf bar from last month.

Moving slowly, I check the stranger doesn't stir as I tiptoe round the room collecting my clothes and slip out of the door - pulling on my clothes before leaving his apartment. My head throbs with the familiar pain of a hangover and I rummage for my phone in my bag and dial.

"Yes?" I hear on the other end as I push the door open and step out into the cold night air.

"Clary?"

"Izzy ? What's wrong, where are you?" Clary asks with a weary voice.

"I'm sorry for waking you up," I apologise, looking around for any clues to where I am. "But do you think you could come and get me? I couldn't call Alec because he's always furious with me when I don't come home at night. And Jace never answers his phone."

"Should I ask Jace to come and pick you up? He has the motorbike," Clary says and I can hear her yawn on the other side as she rummages around.

"I only need money to get the subway but don't have any on me," I reply, knowing the walk could take me hours. I'm on the other side of the city. "And I don't have my stele on me to draw a glamour."

"Fine," Clary sighs. "Where about are you?"

"Erm," I look around and describe my surroundings to her and she laughs softly. "You're down my street. Give me twenty minutes, Izz. I'll be there soon."

She hangs up and I glance down at my phone. 4:03. Crap, I didn't realise it was that early. I sit down in the doorway of some boutique and wait patiently for Clary to arrive.

"You know, you're lucky I'm such a good friend," I hear Clary's voice a while later and I smirk - standing up and shrugging.

"I'd tell you that's it's worth it, but I can't remember a thing from last night," I say and Clary rolls her eyes. "What? Even drunk, I have a brilliant sense of judgement. He was probably great."

"Please take my money and go home," Clary laughs as she hands me a ten dollar note. I dance past her and snatch the note. "There's extra so you don't talk to me about your sex life."

"Clary," I pout as we begin walking to the subway station. "We could talk about yours instead then. Actually, no. Imagining Jace having sex is slightly disturbing."

Clary's cheeks are bright red and I laugh softly at how uncomfortable she is. "W-We haven't- we've not.."

"I know, Clary," I laugh and wrap my arm around her shoulders. "You're so cute. I know you would never let up that easy."

"I barely know him still, Izzy," She whispers and I rub her arm gently as we walk. "We're still getting to know each other but he still knows me so much better."

"It will get easier, Clary," I sigh and she matches her steps to mine, making me smile.

"It feels so easy with you all. Like this is how it's always meant to be," she whispers and I smile.

"That's because this is your life, Clary. This is what you're destined to be and you're meant to be with us."

"But can I be Clary Fairchild?" She asks and stops. I turn back to look at her.

"What do you mean, Clary? You are Clary Fairchild."

"Am I?" she sighs and shuffles her feet. "I still feel like Clary Fray."

"Clary Fray is not who you were or who you ever will be," I snap. "Clary Fray was a fake identity that your mother made to keep you from us."

"It was to keep me safe," Clary argues, her green eyes meeting mine. I can sense the old fire that used to be within her rise to the surface. I want to push her further.

"You were safe with us," I argue.

"Yes, and that's why Max died," Clary snaps and then her eyes widen. I look away. "Izzy..I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be," I mumble, picking at my fingernails. "But Max died after running after you. He saw you fighting a demon and he was going to your aid. He was killed and you disappeared. That night broke my family."

"And you're blaming my mother for trying to keep her child alive?"

"I'm blaming your mum for refusing to acknowledge the fact that her actions didn't affect just her or you," I state plainly.

There's a pause before Clary snaps. "I know!" She shouts. "I know what my mother did. I know that I lost my memories and I lost you. I lost my childhood, my friends and I lost my heritage. I lost everything too, you know! I know that you struggled to fight properly, I know Alec went cold and I know Jace ... I know Jace broke. But I don't know why that makes my mother a bad person for trying to keep me out of Valentine's clutches. I don't know why my best friend had to be dragged into this and changed into a bloody vampire! I don't know why I am slowly falling for Jace when I hardly know him and I don't know why this rune-" She tugs down the neck of her top to display her parabatai rune which, instead of fading, is now bold and black, "-is burning like hell. I don't know anything about this new world but I know I want to be a part of it. I know that you're my family, but my mother is too and I refuse for her to be ridiculed for trying to keep her child safe."

Silence ensues and a smile slowly begins to tug at my mouth. "And you say you're not Clary Fairchild."

She scowls at me but a smile also tugs at her mouth. "Shut up, Lightwood."