Never Going to Leave You - A Clace Story

Chapter One - You're Coming With Me

"Come on, Clary." Jocelyn took hold of Clary's wrist tightly and began to pull her towards the institute exit.

Clary shot an alarmed look at Jace and Isabelle, who were standing a few feet away. Jocelyn had barely woken from her sleep coma and said hello before she was pulling Clary away.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Clary tugged on her own wrist, trying to free herself from Jocelyn's grasp.

"We're going. Neither of us belongs here, Clary. We have to go back to the life we were living before, it's safer."

"Safer?" Jace questioned, stepping away from Izzy and moving towards Clary, "You can't be serious. Surely you know that Valentine is still out there. Do you really think that out there is the safest place for Clary right now?" Jace continued, pointing towards the church door a few metres away.

Jocelyn spun on her heel to face Jace, her face showing that she was clearly agitated.

"I think I know what is best for my daughter, thank you very much."

"Jocelyn, Jace is right. The streets of New York are unsafe right now, especially for a trainee Shadowhunter like Clary." Luke stepped forward, putting his hand on Jocelyn's shoulder.

"I am her mother, and I'll be damned if you think I don't know what is best for her. I have taken care of her for her whole life, keeping her out of this world." Jocelyn argued, still gripping Clary's wrist in her hand. Clary was sure there would be a mark left by her mother's ferocity. 

"Mom, remaining here is what will keep me safe. I have fought so hard to get you back. I've been training with Izzy and Jace, even Alec. I have been learning about this life." Clary tried to reason with her mother, to no avail.

"Clary, you know nothing of this world. You have no idea how truly dangerous this world is. You can never live a normal life, you can never fall in love, or truly be happy. Take it from somebody who had to sacrifice her life to keep you safe." Jocelyn continued to argue, completely missing the shocked look on Clary's face.

"Sacrifice." Clary spat the word as though she had poison in her mouth, she tore her wrist from her mother's grasp, taking a step backwards towards Jace.

"Clary, I..." Jocelyn started, only to be interrupted by her daughter.

"I understand why you tried to keep me out of this world, I truly do, but surely you didn't think you could keep me out of it altogether? I'm sorry mom, but I can't come with you. I have pledged my allegiance to the institute, and I will help them take down Valentine if it is the last thing I ever do." Tears streamed down Clary's pale face as she turned on her heel and ran from the training room.

"Clary!" Izzy called after her, chasing after her. Everyone in the training room could hear the clatter of Izzy's heels fade as she walked further away.

"She'll be okay, I think today has just been a little too much for her. I'll go after them, but you can't take her away from here Jocelyn, this is where she's safest and you know that." Jace spoke calmly, before exiting the room with Alec to track down Izzy and Clary. They found them in Izzy's bedroom, sitting on the bed.

"She didn't mean it Clary, she's probably just confused about what she just went through." Izabella tried to comfort Clary, her hand on her shoulder.

"It doesn't matter whether she's confused or not, what she said is true. She did sacrifice being a Shadowhunter for me." Clary muttered so softly the three people in the room could barely hear her.

"But that was her choice Clary, you had no control over your mother's choices." Jace said, moving a few steps closer to the upset redhead on the bed, Izzy got up and stood next to her brother so that Jace could take her spot on the bed.

"It doesn't change the fact that she's right. What is she's right about me never truly being happy and..." Jace cut her off.

"Clary, pay no mind to what Jocelyn said. You must do exactly what makes you happy, and not anybody else. If you're happy here, and you feel safe here then you stay right here stay. If you aren't, then you are free to leave with your mother, of course." Jace raised his hand and rested it on Clary's cheek, using his thumb to wipe away her tears.

"Do you want to go?" Jace all but whispered, showing his own feelings and emotions as he spoke. It was clear that the thought of Clary leaving terrified Jace.

Clary smiled, raising her own hand and resting it on the one Jace had placed on her face.

"No! Of course, I don't want to go."

...

Something had been ebbing at Clary since she had spoken with her mother. Why was her mother being so paranoid about her being unsafe, and why didn't she think Clary was unsafe whilst inside the institute?

Clary knocked on the door to her mother's temporary bedroom timidly, poking her head about the door when her mother told her to enter.

"Mom, can I ask you something?"

Jocelyn simply nodded, standing up from the desk she had been sitting at.

"Why are you so adamant about the institute not being safe? Did you hear something that Valentine said, or do you just want to leave?"

"Valentine would never hurt you Clary, but you still have to be careful with the people you surround yourself with. How well do you really know these people? What do you know about them, really?" Jocelyn eyed the open door warily.

"I do know them. Izzy has become like my best friend, and each day I'm getting to know Alec more and more. They've become like siblings really fast, and they've been so helpful in getting you back from Valentine. But Jace, he's different. He's been there for me since the very beginning, he was the person who noticed that I was a Shadowhunter and saved my life when I was attacked at home." Clary finished, surprised at the confused expression that remained on her mother's face.

"You love him." Jocelyn stated shortly.

Clary's eyebrows rose in surprise at what her mother said. She opened her mouth to deny her mothers claim, but then closed it again.

"You didn't answer my question." Clary crossed her arms and watched her mother take a step towards her.

"Valentine knows the location of the New York Institute, it's only a matter of time before he figures out a way to penetrate the wards." Jocelyn explained.

"But you just said that he wouldn't hurt me."

"He wouldn't, but that doesn't mean that he wouldn't take things from you." Jocelyn continued to explain.

"You mean the Mortal Cup?" Clary rolled her eyes, she was really starting to hate that damned cup.

"Well, yes and..." Jocelyn was interrupted when Alec rushed into the room, a panicked expression on his face.

"Alec what's hap..." Clary stopped speaking when a siren started blaring into the room.

"The institute has been infiltrated." Alec spoke quickly before turning on his heel and leaving the room. Clary turned to her mother, who had a knowing expression on her face, she knew this would happen.

"We have to find Jace and the others." Clary cried before following Alec out of the room.