Hey guys. I know that lately there seems to be a lot of long gaps before I continue with new chapters but it seems as though every time I start writing again something bad happens. My Nan went into hospital the day after I updated last and she passed on the very next day and since then I haven't had the heart to continue my story. But I have been doing my best over the last few days to carry on, writing a little bit at a time so as not to get carried away and turn it completely on its head. So here goes, I don't expect it to be as good as previous chapters but it's the best I can do at the moment. Hope its not too bad.

The institute? But… that's not possible. If my mom had been there the whole time then… then she had been right under my nose. And so had Valentine. My fist smashed into the motel wall before I could think. Rage filled me with the knowledge that I had been played. If Valentine was in the Institute and I wasn't there then that could only mean two things; either he had no knowledge of my leaving or it wasn't me who he was after. The latter seemed more likely, Valentine was many things but he wasn't a fool he had been a step ahead the whole time and I doubted he would be lacking in the knowledge of what was going on around him. There was only one other person in that institute who could be of value to him, only one other person he had experimented on, only one other who he classed as one of his 'children'. Jace. In milliseconds my phone was in my hand and I was speed dialling it now. No answer. I tried Sophie, knowing that Jace rarely had his phone on him anyway. Ring… Ring… Ring… "Hey this is Sophie. I'm busy right now so I'll have to call you back. And if you don't here back then… well then I probably don't really like you. Ciao." DAMMIT! I tried Alec. Voicemail. Isabelle… Hodge… Seb… Hazel… voicemail. Voicemail. VOICEMAIL. VOICEMAIL! DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT! I screamed at the top of my lungs. Rage turned my vision red as it engulfed me and this time I let it; the rune was pretty much useless now anyway. I'd used it so much that its effects were so much lessened that it barely even took the edge off anymore and even if it did… well this was a fight where I needed the rage to fuel the fire that would soon be lighting Valentine's funeral pyre. This time I'd use the rage to my advantage. I hadn't been the one that needed saving after all. Neither had my mom. The real target in all of this was Jace. And I had left him. If Valentine had so much as left a single scratch on Jace then I would torture him and make him beg for death long before I ever gave him that mercy. By the time I finally gave him that gift he would be unrecognisable. And if Jace was dead then… then I would never forgive myself. There was one more person I could call and I really, really didn't want to call him.

"Luke? I need help." Luke had gone A.W.O.L a week or so before the attack on the Institute, having to sort out some pack business and no one had heard from him since which is why I was so surprised at him answering the phone.

"Where do you need me?"

"Meet me outside the New York Institute. Bring backup."

"And how, pray tell, do you expect us to get there?" I never thought of that. I was constantly forgetting he wasn't a Shadowhunter and just a Downworlder in the Clave's eyes. Hang on a second… The Dumort… The wolves… Why would any normal pack help us? Simple… They wouldn't.

"Don't play dumb, Luke. I know you're in New York. Come to the Institute A.S.A.P. Moms there." I hung up and took a deep breath. Luke had brought me up but I hadn't heard from him since my mom disappeared and a part of me was angry at him for that. That was when I needed him, when I needed to know if he was helping, but I'd soon know if he cared or not. If he turned up at the Institute… Great. If not… Well we'd all probably die.

"HONEY! I'M HOME!" My foot smashed into the institute door as my lips curled up into a snarl. It was dark inside and the glass beneath my boots hinted at them being blown to bits -I brushed my fingers against the witch light dangling around my neck, causing it to shine bright and true. What I saw caused my stomach to plummet, it was a mess; furniture thrown across the room and smashed apart, the chandelier that had once hung above the rug was crumpled up on the floorboards. Remnants of ash and blood were splattered against the walls and floor. I could hear shouting but it seemed to be coming from all directions and the smell… By the Angel it was as powerful as the Demons behind it. Was this how the London Institute had looked? Fear struck my heart but I shoved it aside and filled the void with rage. Now where do I go? The institute was too large to go from room to room. There wasn't enough time for that. I closed my eyes briefly; concentrating on the direction of the battle sounds but the echo's made it impossible to decipher the real location. Just when I started to give up a rune formed behind my closed eyelids and I felt my lips raise a little in the corner. I knew it wasn't a pretty smile bit it didn't matter, it was the first time I'd smiled since I left this place and it gave me hope.; hope that I'd finally found my home and with that hope came strength. This was my home and I would damned well protect it and everyone in it. I didn't second guess the rune, I just dropped to my knees and carved it into the stone at my feet. Lead me to where the danger is thickest. No wonder the rune had been so complex. Most runes symbolised one or two words, this was a full sentence in the language of Angels. Golden drops began to appear on the stone floor, leading me down into the cellar, the noises were growing louder as I followed them and what I saw thoroughly shocked me.

Ember demons. A swarm of them. An army. I knew beyond a doubt that this was Valentine's doing, what I didn't know was; how the Hell was he controlling them? Through the hoard I could see small parts of my friends, Isabelle's black hair, Sophie's blazing Seraph Blade, Alec's arrow plunging through the masses and one person lying face down in the middle of them; Sebastian. I could see that he was breathing but I hadn't a clue how hurt he was and the rage inside me increased tenfold at the thought of my friends being hurt. Because of Valentine. Because of me. I let out a battle roar and surged forward my twin blades in hand as I fought my way through the Demon's. It seemed unending but I did notice that the others had begun to fight back harder as well, the sight of me spurring them on as I cut and slashed and stabbed my way to their sides, barely escaping the exploding bodies and shrugging it off when I didn't move quick enough. I was beyond pain now. I was no longer a girl, or a lover, a daughter, or a friend. I was a weapon.

"Good of you to show up!" Sophie shouted from half a foot away, a feral smile on her lips.

"Thought you could use a hand!" She laughed through heavy pants.

"You're not wrong!" I laughed back at her, fuelled by adrenaline and a strange, feral delight as I finally began to beat the demons back but I knew it wouldn't be enough and the quick glimpse I got of Sebastian lying face down brought me back to myself. This needed to end before someone else got hurt... Or worse.

"Sophie! Cover me!" I darted behind her and drew out my stele, carving straight into my hand. I didn't even feel the burn this time.

"Always!" She fought twice as hard, giving me the time I needed to complete it.

"Everyone! Get behind me!" I dove forward and without hesitation they moved back. I lifted my hand toward the Demon's and watched them stiffen up and slowly, ever so slowly stop moving completely. They were frozen in time but it would only last a few minutes. Still; it was long enough.

"Kill them!" As a united front we dove back into the ashes and blood, stabbing and swinging our swords. Plunging arrows into their necks and heads. I saw Isabelle hurriedly pulling Sebastian out of the way so as not to injure him further with the burning corpses and just as they started to move again, the last Demon fell. A pack of wolves burst through the door. Alec lifted his bow and I shouted a warning

"Stop! They're allies!" Sophie made eye contact with me as she stomped her way to my side, stepping on bits of molten rock and ashes.

"Luke?" I nodded.

"Where is everyone else?"

"Not too sure. I happened to be with Seb, Alec, and Isabelle when the fighting began. Jace was on his way to Hodge. Some of the others were in the infirmary but I'm not sure whether they're still there or fighting as well." I nodded.

"Megan and Max?" They were the youngest and needed protecting more then the others. The rest knew how to fight back, Megan was a fair Shadowhunter for her age but Max was only nine and having one fourteen year old standing between him and a single Demon was a risk I wasn't willing to take.

"Last I saw they were in the library with Claire, studying runes." Good. Claire was one of our best fighters, if anyone could protect them it was her.

"I'm going for Jace. If Valentine's still here, that's where he'll be and…" Something was bothering me, something was niggling the back of my mind, forcing me to before, it felt like… like…with Aline.

"Jace was raised by Valentine." A shock ran through my body at Luke's words. He must have changed back. "If I know Valentine, he'll be using that to try and get Jace on his side. He may very well be your brother." But he's not. I knew it with everything in me. I knew…

"AHHHHHHH!" Pain swelled in my brain and I felt myself sink further into the floor. Jonathon.

"Little sister, you're the only one that can stop him. You and a boy. Together you'll be unstoppable."

"But… why? Why can't you stop him? He trusts you."

"No. He doesn't. He believes I'll be faithful to him but I am, after-all, part Demon. Just as you are part Angel. No smart person trusts a Demon."

"I trust you."

"You are young. I'm beyond saving. If you see me again do not hesitate to attack. Even I don't know what I'll be. Remember this though little Angel; Right now, the boy inside the beast loves you. But the Beast will kill." He bent forward and placed a light kiss atop my head, before turning his back. I never saw him again. He looked back once and I saw the Demon, I saw it in his eyes. Black. So black he could be nothing else. But he was something else. He was my brother. And I loved him too. Even knowing that.

Tears streamed down my face and sobs shook my body. Mom had kept this from me, I had lived so long believing my brother was dead. Believing he was beyond saving. He would never be beyond saving, not whilst I still held breath in my body. I would save my brother and I would kill Valentine. Not necessarily in that order.

"Jonathon's alive. He came to me once. He was… not good exactly but… but he was more than a Demon. He loved me." Sophie bent beside me, lifting one arm around her shoulders and gently lifting me back to my feet.

"I don't doubt it for a second." Sophie trusted my judgement. She always had. I was grateful for her, she was my strength and with her help I let go. Standing strong again. A plan already forming.

"I'm going after Jace. Alec, Isabelle, take Sebastian to the Infirmary and help protect the others that are still there. Sophie go with Luke and the other Wolves. Their hearing will be able to detect where you can best help."

"I come with you."

"No Sophie. This is a battle I have to fight alone. Besides, look at the everyone's reaction when they burst in before? Do you think the others will pause in attack to consider the possibility of them being here to help? No. They need you." She let out a deep sigh and I saw the tears in her eyes as she reached forward and wrapped her rune covered arms around me. Tears began to well up in my own eyes, I forced myself to hold them back and pulled away, grasping her arms.

"You have to be strong now, Sophie. We all do. I'll see you soon, okay?" She nodded, before straightening her back and walking side-by-side with Luke up the stairs.

"Good luck." My whisper followed them. I was alone. Again. Alec and Isabelle had done as I'd asked without any question or even a goodbye. Surprisingly I was glad for that.

The first thing I was aware of were the voices. One of which caused a shiver to take root in my soul. Valentine. I knew he'd be there. I knew he'd be with Jace. I knew I would have to face him but I never actually stopped to consider what it would be like seeing him again. By the Angel, Clary. Get over it! Jace is in there and you have to help him. He swore to protect you and what kind of a leader would I be if I didn't stand by him too. I stopped first to collect myself and listen in to what they were saying;

"You stole the Mortal Cup. You killed Downworlders. You… You don't obey the law." Jace sounded outraged and a little nervous. Well I can't say I'm surprised. He has just realised the guy that raised him is one of the most hated men in the Shadow world. I at least knew who my dad was.

"YOU THINK OUR LAWS ARE PERFECT!" The deadliness of that shout caused even me to flinch from my spot behind Hodge's study door. "It was not very long ago that you were killing Vampires. And they nearly killed you." I was so glad it was Jace talking to him and not me. The only comeback I would have had for that was 'they started it' and that was so much of a cliché I would probably have let him kill me for that one.

"It's what we do." Okay… that one was quite weak for Jace. Why does it even matter?

"We kill Demons! And you do it because you're good at it. Because after you thought I died you were cut free. No consequences. No one to grieve. You're better than all of them, Jonathon Morgenstern." I couldn't stay back any longer. A laugh bubbled under the surface and I let it go. Laughing and clapping slowly as I entered the room. Very movie like.

"Good show, father. Good show. Damn, I almost believed you for a moment there." His eyes widened ridiculously at the sight of me. I had caught sight of myself in the glass earlier and I knew I looked deadly. Covered in ash and blood with a dead calm in my eyes. "Too bad you forgot one thing. Jonathon showed himself to me the same year as you asked me to join you. Jace is not Jonathon. You may have raised him. But he is not your son. A round of applause for you though, Valentine. But I think it's time you left him alone. Why don't you fight your real child? I guarantee you won't be disappointed in what you created." I grabbed a real sword from its spot stabbed into the floor, knowing that my Seraph Blade wouldn't harm him. Whatever else Valentine may have been, he was still a Nephilim. As it became dislodged the Institute went silent and Valentine let out an angry yell. What just happened?