Hey guys, new story. Wahoo! Fingers crossed it goes alright!

This is a reedited version of this chapter since people want a little bit more detail into what actually happened to Clary.

Oh and I don't own these characters Cassandra Clare does, I only own the plot.

Enjoy!

The everlasting flame.

Prologue

A few days earlier

Sometimes I feel like my mind could be leading me down a never ending road. I would sit for hours thinking what if…what if my life had gone down a different road, started differently or I wasn't born to who I had been? Would I be the same person I am now? Too many questions so little answers. I love my mother and my step father but sometimes I just wish that I was someone else. Someone who was strong instead of weak, brave instead of a coward and beautiful instead of cute… I feel like I walk through crowds of people like I'm a cloud, someone that is untouchable and near invisible but why should I care if I was invisible or not? Why should I care what people thought about me? I shouldn't but the thing is… I do. My life is a never-ending circle. School, work, Simon… school, work, Simon. Nothing changes in my life and I dealt it would anytime soon because I've learnt your life never turns out like you want it to. Nothing ends like the fairy-tales do. You're no princess and there's no way in hell there is going to be a prince. You breathe, you eat and you sleep…that's life. Once everyone realises that, it'll be for the better.

The tarnished, old bus I sat on rattled to a jerk as it started on its voyage down the main street of New York City. I lived here ever since I was little when my mother married Luke and moved into the apartment above his bookstore so really this place is home to me. I knew my way around it and I knew where to go and not to go. My mom was sure to teach me what could be lurking in the shadows…but even though I tried my hardest not to chase danger and to stay away from the shadows… the danger and shadows seems like they're always not far behind me.

I stared vacantly out the dirt smeared window and watched the endless lights swirl passed swallowing the stars up that shone so brightly and freely above. The stars seemed to withhold so many lost memories and hopes. I can remember being at my uncles and aunties cottage out in the country one holiday and at night I would just stare up at the stars and ask myself what was behind the brightness of the stars. If there was hope just waiting in the blackness of the night for the human race. I have never really been religious but I'm sure everyone has ever asked or thought about if there was actually something or someone looking down at us and watching us, keeping us safe.

I searched the bus I now sat in staring at the unknown faces. A smile formed as I watched a mother up the front of the bus reading to her small child as she smiled her pearly whites up at her. My stare moved to a few seats back from them to a man reading a newspaper with a suitcase glued to his side. Opposite him and in front of me sat a girl around my age bobbing her head to the music she had plucked into her ears. Glancing back, only one last seat was taken on the bus. A guy sat at the very back of the bus staring endlessly out the window. He wore a hood with golden strands of hair leaking from under it. I don't know why, but I was glued to the sight of him. He seemed like I was moments ago, lost in thought. 'I wish I could know the thoughts that were running through his head,' blushing at the thought.

My head was suddenly shaken from the thought as I was hauled to the back of the seat that sat the girl that was bobbing her head moments ago. I scanned the bus, seeing the wide eyes of shocked people. "Stay calm," the bus driver said urgently glancing back at us before opening the door. Glancing around, everyone had the same question written across their face, 'what were we about to be faced with?'

Rushing in, we were faced upon two masked figures; both carrying firearms and a bag slung over their shoulders. "Drive!" One of the figures hissed with a strong voice at the driver. Shaking his head, the driver pushed his foot down and carried on his once peaceful trip. The guy that ordered the driver to drive then turned sharply to us, pointing the gun at the mother and little girl causing a sob to escape the girl's lips. "Move everyone! Get to the back of the bus now. I'm not afraid to use it," he ordered harshly.

I quickly got up from my spot and hurried to the back followed by the others. Rushing to the back, I locked eyes with the guy with the hood. His golden brown eyes shone with confusion and anger. Reaching the back, I slid next to him. Feeling a body press against mine, I glanced to the side of me to find the girl that was sitting in front of me looking frightened. Glancing at her, I noted she was a curvy girl with shoulder length hair and the way she held her shape was with proud; which would cause many girls to be envious. Bunching up, we made room for the others to fit along the back. Glancing to the hooded guy, I saw how his golden eyes tracked the gunmen's every move.

"What are we going to do?" I heard a whisper to the side of me. Glancing over, I saw a worried mother eyes lock with mine.

"Just listen to them. I'm sure they won't hurt us if we do as we're told," I assumed, twisting my shirt in my tight grip.

"Or any sudden movements. They look nervous," I heard a smooth, deep voice commented from beside me. I glanced at the hooded guy resulting in our eyes locking once again. "Shh," he whispered glancing back up.

Looking back up, I saw the other armed figure stroll over to us. I saw the eyes that lurked from within the ski-mask narrow as they crossed us, stopping on me for a longer moment than the rest. "Phones," a male's voice came clear from under the mask. He turned to the hooded guy first and raised his gun. "Give it to me."

The hooded guy simply shook his head, "don't have one."

"Don't try being the funny guy! You'll regret it," the masked guy snarled.

"Believe me or not, I really don't care. But you could always search me if you really please, though I'm sure you'll just be searching for something else," he said, a smirk forming on his angel like face.

The gun man bought the gun back and connected it was the hooded guys face. Blood started to gush from a cut the gun caused on the side of his face. Then the gun man did it again. "Stop it," I yelled, finding courage from an unknown place from within me.

The masked man turned to face me. "What did you say?" He tested.

"I think you heard perfectly well," I stated in disgust narrowing my eyes at him.

A sharp laugh escaped his lips. "Cute. Anyway, pass me your phone sugar," he said holding out his scarred hand.

Narrowing my eyes, I snarled. "I don't have it on me. It's in my bag."

"Go and get it," he simply said.

"No," I snarled.

"Do it or pretty boy here will get it," he hissed.

I heard a chuckle exit the hooded guy. "Oh how sweet. You think I'm pretty," he smirked once again.

I saw anger and hatred fill the masked man's eyes. I knew what the mysterious hooded guy was doing; he was throwing the gunman off his game. 'Clever move,' I thought to myself. Before the masked man could throw another hit, I spoke up again, "Fine I'll go get it."

Moving to the side, the masked man let me passed but followed me sneakily to my bag. Reaching down to my bag, my breath caught as I felt a cold hand run down my bare arm. Jumping to an up-right position, I turned sharply around to come face to face with the masked man. We stood dangerously close causing a unnatural coldness to fill my body and a swarm of panic to trigger in my mind. I saw I spark in his eyes as he swiped his tongue over his dry lips and reached towards me. Moving back on to the seat to get away from his touch, I pushed my back against the window causing him to follow; hunger filling his eyes. "What are you doing?" I kicked out as his hands touched my leg.

Grabbing onto my foot, he pulled me along the seat towards him. By this time, I heard a yelling but it didn't stop me from screaming as I tried to kick out of his grip but it was no use, he was now hovering hungrily over me. "I like feisty reds," he whispered.

"Get off me," I screamed, forcing all my strength into a punch straight to his nose. He stumbled back off me slightly but not far enough to get passed him.

He wiped his now broken nose as blood gusted from it. "You bitch!" He growled bringing his fist forward and punching me straight in the face with a crunching blow. Reality seemed to blur but not enough to not know or feel what was forced upon my small figure next. Hands searched my bare skin of my legs roughly as they tugged at my skirt then at my underwear before fire shot through me; pain shooting through my small frail body as his hands assaulted me, injuring me not only on the outside but the inside as well. I cried out in pain and torment, but it was no use, as his hands molested me I felt that fire inside of me that said 'fight' blow out. This guy that took hold of this bus and us passengers no longer was a guy with a gun to me but has now become my attacker, my abuser.

I heard more commotion in the background and a struggle before the masked man was pulled away from me.

I was soon lifted off where I lay on the seat and encircling into a pair of strong arms. I glanced up and locked my green emerald eyes to a pair of golden brown ones. "It's okay. I got you," he whispered down at me.

"Get back!" I heard one of masked men yell as the pushed the guy with the suit who I had noticed earlier back who must have come to help.

"Come on," the hooded guy whisper calmly into my ear. I fixed my skirt shakily. I felt like crumbling into his arms as he led me back to our spot at the back of the bus. I sat on the seat against the window and leant against it as the hooded guy sat next to me. "Are you okay?" He asked narrowing his eyes as he lifted my chin with his fingers for a moment to examine the hits to my face I suffered. I just nodded, shaking still as pain and fear cruised through me. "Well it looks ok just a few cuts and it's most likely you'll have a nasty bruise on your cheek in the morning."

"Are you okay?" I heard a soft voice ask from the other side of the hooded guy. The girl with shoulder length hair reached out but I flinched away from the touch. She retraced her step quickly. "Sorry," she said apologetic.

I just nodded, sitting perfectly still bringing my knees up onto the seat as I recalled what had just happened. The hit…the hands… Tears crowded my vision. I felt crushed and damaged as the feel of his unjust hands still lingered on my body.

"Hey, don't cry. You're fine now; they won't get anywhere near you again. I promise," the hooded guy assured me beside me.

I glanced up at him. "Th… thank you for stopping him," I stammered.

I saw a small smile form on his lips. "No worries," he said before stiffening when he glanced forwards. My attacker was strolling towards us, looking pissed. I grabbed onto the hooded guys arm as he approached. "I won't let him touch you," I heard the hooded guy whisper.

My attacker stopped a few feet away and stared at us. "I think after that commotion we should teach you all a lesson on respect," he gleamed.

"Respect? I think you need to learn how to respect a lady because there's no way in hell a lady should be treated how you just treated this poor girl," a male's voice chirped up. "I hope you realise charged with taking people hostage and sexually assaulting a girl will grant you nothing more than rotting in jail for the rest of your life."

"Great! A volunteer," My attacker said, pulling the man up to his feet. I soon realised it was the man with the suit. My attacker held him tightly by the arm a few feet away, pointing the gun to his head. "Let's this be a warning not to mess with us," he warned.

Realising what he planned to do, we all screamed "no!" But it was too late. The suited man fell hard to the ground with his own blood encircling him. Screams and cries of horror tore through the bus. The hooded guy pulled me and the girl on his other sides into him so we didn't see the body that lay at our feet. "If anything's like before happens again," my attacker snarled, pointing to the ground. "This will happen again, and I'm pretty sure I know who it will be." He shot the hooded guy a deadly look.

After he left, I stayed still in the hooded guys arms. I felt the breath of the other girl hit my cheek as she stayed curled up at his side as well. I glanced at her and saw tears escaping her dark brown eyes. It seemed like she was searching for something to say but before she could we heard a siren. Our eyes widened as we realised what the sirens meant. Cops.

"Drive faster!" I heard the masked men yell.

"Wait, stop! What are you doing?" One of them yelled. Before another word could be said, the bus suffered a crushing impact causing the girl in the hooded guys arms to fly forward while me and him was flung into the seat in front of us.

I felt arms surrounding me as I was lifting up from my position beside the hooded guy. Flashings of the hands washed back to me as I cringed at the touch of the arms lifting me up. "Stop!" I screamed.

I felt a blood strained hand grab mine. "They want to help," I heard the comforting voice of the hooded guy cough out.

I glanced down at him as I dangled in the unknown figures arms. "Don't leave me," I whispered to the hooded guy, tears swelling up in my heavy eyes.

"I won't. I promise," he coughed out slowly standing up unsteadily.

"Please, sir. You could have serious injuries. Stay still until someone comes to get you," the unknown figure said trying to stop me from struggling in his grasp. His touch…his hold on me reminded me of the masked man and the way he held me down. I felt like I was suffocating in his grasp.

The hooded guy shook his head. "Pass her to me. She's just suffered something traumatic and she's now afraid. I'm fine to take her, I've only got some cuts," he said raising his arms to show he was fine.

"Sir…" the unknown figure started.

"No. Pass her to me," the hooded guy said firmly. Giving up, the figure placed me into the hooded guy's arms and led us carefully out.

"Thank you," I whispered up to him as he carried me bride style out.

He smiled weakly as he walked out of the crushed bus. Staring up to the night sky my eyes were locked with a single star that shone through the brightness of the city's lights. As my eyelids drew closed, I took once last glance at the star before letting the darkness draw me in.

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