They had been walking through the streets for almost ten minutes when Clary announced that they were near the club where they were going to meet with the famous Magnus Bane. Emma knew Alec and him were together so she didn't understand why they had to go to that silly club to talk to him but she guessed they were some kind of rules or, even better, that he was going to take them to the Seelies realm just after the party ended.

Emma couldn't hide her excitement but she also couldn't stop looking at her parabatai , sometimes wishing she wouldn't be that weak around him, wishing she could care less sometimes. She knew that was a selfish thought and she hated herself when she had those kind of feelings but she also knew that not growing fond for other people was the best way of becoming a great Shadowhunter. It was contradictory, you could have someone to be your partner for life, your brother or sister, your parabatai, but to become and extraordinary Shadowhunter would require a life of loneliness, a life with no love, hopes or sorrows, just focusing on the task to protect the world from Demons and nothing more. Emma wondered how many Shadowhunters were able to do this, to separate their feelings from their lifes, to become isolated...

"We are here" Jace exclaimed.

When Emma looked up she saw an enourmous club in front of her eyes. It was a fairly modern building with no windows, like a shed that had been remodeled for weekend parties. The blue lights blinded her for a moment and Emma realized that the disco was mundane, which surprised her since she had thought they were going to another kind of party. Clearly, they were able to enter without any problem with the rune of invisibility that they've drawn before leaving the Institute. As they stepped through the door, Jules turned to check that Emma was by her side and their eyes met for a few seconds until Emma looked away. It broke her heart to pretend she did not care, but at that moment there were much more important things to worry about that her love life.

Clary guided them throw the crowd, all the Shadowhunters following her. Emma noticed that each person on that club was mundane and she wondered if they were in the right place. It was right in that moment when she saw a ladder that was heading for some kind of basement or underground disco, where the mark of the Shadowhunters and Downworlders was drawn. Clary headed there and began to descend the ladder at full speed. Emma glanced over and noticed that no one in the club had noticed what was happening around her, much less that there was a parallel disc in the same building. At that moment she thanked to belong to that world.

When they reached the end of the stairs Clary came upon a wooden door, it looked quite old, as if it were from the original building and had been maintained after remodeling the club. Clary drew a rune over the wooden door and it opened wide, revealing a club completely different from the one they had been in a few minutes ago.

The underground club was somewhat similar in structure to the mundane club, but the decor was completely different. The light was almost null, there were only a couple of red reflectors and some white lights that made Emma have to check the floor more than once to keep from falling. There were chandelliers hanging from the ceiling and all fabrics of all colors and all types hung and reaching almost to the floor. Emma was surprised by how many people there were and by the mix between Shadowhunters and Downworlders, partying as if everything was fine.

"Magnus is in that room" Alec pointed another door and everybody followed him now instead.

When they got to the door it was Clary who had to drawn another rune, a rune Emma had never seen before, but she was aware of Clary's gift, everybody knew the daughter of Valentine was able to do extraordinary things, like creating runes out of nowhere. And now, it was Emma who was going against the Clave with them, it was her who was conspiring with the most known Shadowhunters in the world. She still thought she was dreaming, but when they entered the room the guy who was standing in a red suit in front of them was preatty real.

"You are all late" said Magnus, stroking his chin. "I think I will never understand Shadowhunters"

Alec rolled his eyes and walked over to him. He caressed his cheek, like he was the most precious thing in the world.

"If you ever leave without telling me again I will make sure this ring ends up in the depth of the Hudson river" Alec glared at him.

Magnus smirked.

"Sorry, my dear husband, there can always be emergencies in the Downworlders world and one must do his duty, as you surely know." Magnus's gaze was amused, and for Emma they were one of the sweetest couples she'd ever seen.

"I was so worried..." Alec ducked his head and stared at the ground, not daring to look up.

"I know, I know..." Magnus said, trying to reassure him he was okay. He kissed him as if there were no tomorrow. "I will never disappear like that again. I promise"

Alec hugged him and that's when Emma felt Julian's arm brushing her skin, just touching her, as if confirming that he was there, standing right next to her and that he would never leave. Emma bit her lip and tried to ignore the fact that goose bumps had formed and her legs were now trembling, remembering the way they had kissed in the infirmary. She kept her eyes steady, she did not want anyone to suspect anything at all, although Emma supposed that Clary was aware of the situation.

"Well, now we can talk about this particular situation" Magnus said and he beckoned them all to sit down. "I've heard about the deaths of the Seelies, news in the Downworlders world fly as fast as an eagle"

"Members of the Clave are now staying in the Institute" Clary said "They divided us in teams and they sent us to investigate a little more about this events. We found demoniac activity but nothing more, it was only Emma and Julian's team, with one of the Lightwood girls, that have found a body with some mark and a message written on the Seelies body." Clary stared at Emma "You can tell him more"

Emma turned pale as she never imagined Clary would make her talk right there. Magnus watched her for a moment, as if he were remembering old times, and then waited for her to speak.

"We were sent to investigate and old warehouse and the first thing we found was the corpse, with the mark engraved with fire in his body and we've finally found a note that said that Sebastian's followers were still alive and that this was just the beggining" Emma cleared her throat. She had almost forgotten how much it hurt to think that the people who had murdered her parents were still alive. She regained her breath but she could not utter any other words, it was almost as if she had been mute and her throat burned as if she had been set on fire.

Everybody was staring at her and she was starting to freak out when Julian interrupted.

"When we where there a Demon appeared and we had to kill him" he remarked "I think they are working with Demons again, just as Sebastian did years ago, following his steps, his path..."

Magnus was somewhat thoughtful, as if analyzing the situation and after a moment he stood up.

"The Seelies are freaking out too, there were rumors that the Clave was not willing to help them this time and it caused panic and fear. I think we all agree we don't need that anymore."

It was Jace who interrupted this time.

"We need to talk to the Seelies as quickly as possible. Can we arrange a meeting?"

Emma's heart was beating so fast she thought it was going to get out of her chest.

"Absolutely. You have to give me a little more time because I need to speak to them without leaving any trace or the Clave will find out." They all nodded and Emma knew the meeting was over know.

All the Shadowhunters stood up and stood still.

"What are you doing standing there like statues?" Magnus exclaimed indignantly "This is a nightclub, go for a drink and a dance. Tomorrow will be a new day with new concerns but the night just begins."

Emma laughed at the wizard words. Alec followed him to another room and it was there when the four were left alone.

Jace grabbed Clary by the waist and whispered in her ear.

"Do you come here often? Can I buy you a drink?"

Clary smiled and set her eyes on Emma.

"Do you mind if we go to dance for a while?" She asked.

Both Emma and Julian shook their heads and the happy couple went out the door to the room where the bar and music were.

It was in that moment when Emma was completely alone with Julian.

Emma remembered all the moments she'd had lived with Julian, and she could not think of any one more uncomfortable than that one. He was staring at the floor, he would not dare to meet her gaze and she felt a little bit dizzy.

"It all went pretty well" she said, to break the ice. Julian nodded but he was still looking at the floor. Emma took a step toward him, coming as close as possible to his parabatai, almost feeling his breath on hers."I wanted to thank you for what you've done earlier, when I choked." She was so embarassed she didn't want to remember the moment. "I'm so stupid sometimes, I can't believe I did that in front of everybody! I'm sure they must be thinking I'm the same little girl crying over her parents death..."

This time it was Emma who ducked her head and struggled to contain the tears she had been accumulating. Her breathing was irregular and, at that moment, she wanted to disappear.

Julian took her by the chin and looked directly into her eyes. He was comforting her, but this time it was different. His gaze was loving but at the same time he was warning her something and Emma was trying to decipher what it was.

"I want to hold you in my arms so much, Emma."he murmured so low that Emma barely heard him. "But we just can't..." His voice cracked. "You were right, all this time. We can't."

It was the first time Julian had almost run out of a room where her parabatai was. Emma was sure she had felt every bit of her heart shatter since she never thought Jules would say something like that.

He had left her speechless and completely alone in the room.

Emma was so angry that she would hit anyone who crossed her path.

Without doubting it twice she went to the exit and returned to the Institute.

She had nothing more to do in that nightclub.