Spirits From The Past

Chapter 1/ Parting Ways

Clary looked down at a faded out piece of paper. The writing in a elegant writing written in black ink. She knew who's handwriting it was. She didn't want to believe it was theirs, but she knew. She could feel it too. Like a lion was tearing her body into two. She had memorized every line of the letter. She had read it more times then she could count. The words haunted her like a bad memory.

Clary,

Listen, I know this isn't the right way to do this. Well, it's completely wrong in all ways. Although, I felt I had to say this through a letter, even though it seems kind of rude of me. Not that that'll make a difference. I do care for you. A lot. Somehow though, things happen, and things have to be sacrificed. Even things as important as  the things we care for. Now, this doesn't mean that I don't love you anymore. I do, and the amount hasn't changed. I will always love you. Something has came up, though. I have to leave. You won't see me again. I'm sorry. So I guess this is it then. I don't want to stop writing because I want to leave you with something. I feel like this isn't enough to give you. I just want you to know not to worry. Please don't bother our friends either. They won't want to talk of it. Nor, do you need to know anything.

Bye

She gripped the paper tighter. She didn't want to believe this. She didn't want it to be real. She looked down and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Her eyes watered as she cried silently. She shoved the letter into a jewelry box and swung the door open. She grabbed her jacket off the jacket rack and flung her shoes on. The letter had been just delivered. There was still hope he was still there. She ran out the door. Her mom didn't ask where she was going. She probably figured to the institute. Clary ran and made a portal with her stele. She glided her hand against the pavement in a graceful manner. When the portal glittered like a diamond. She hopped in. She thought of a hallway she knew to be the one that had her friends rooms in it. She remembered the tapestry of the mortal sword hanging above a pillar in the particular hallway. She landed and hit her head on the pillar. She didn't notice she was bleeding. Her adrenaline surged through her body like electricity. She had no clue she split her head open on the pillar. She ran to the rooms she remembered to be theirs. She didn't know who's was who's so she banged on all of them. Hoping to get a response. Two doors opened. The door behind her locked with a click. Isabelle stood before her. Isabelle's eyes widened at the sight of her blood oozing out of her wound. "I know I'm not supposed to be here." She started. Her words slurring from the loss of blood. "But, I had to come. Isabelle, I needed too." She mumbled. "Alec...?" Isabelle called wearily. Alec came into her field of vision. "She doesn't seem to notice she's bleeding out before us." He pointed out. "What?!" Came a voice behind the locked door. The door clicked open faster than it had locked. Clary blacked out from blood loss. She fell onto the ground of the hallway. Isabelle looked at Alec. "What do we do?!" She asked. "Take her to the infirmary." Alec said. Jace had come out of his room. The locked door. He looked at Isabelle with concern. "It's not your fault." She said. He shook his head. "I'll carry her." He offered. She bled onto his shoulder while he carried her into the empty room with rows of beds. She was sat in the last bed in the room next to a painting of an angel. Jace sat at the end of the bed. "Maybe I should just stay." He said quietly. Alec and Isabelle exchanged looks. "You know you can't. Or something worse than this could happen." Alec said soothingly. Isabelle nodded. Jace looked at him. "I don't want to hurt her more. Mentally or physically." Isabelle frowned. "Sometimes to save someone from pain you have to give them pain. Like a flu shot." Jace looked at her. "Or like a rune." She added. He shook his head. "But this will kill her." He said. Isabelle shook her head. "No. She'll find a way. She's a fighter and you know it." Alec looked at Isabelle. "You're not helping. We all know how this is gonna end up. Don't try to lie to yourselves." Jace said. Alec looked at Isabelle. Her eyes looked at him like she was trying to burn holes into his eyes with her own. "He's right, Izzy." Alec said to her. Jace's jaw clenched. "You can't stay. Not with what's been happening. You don't want her to start seeing stuff because you have the sight. If you leave, she won't be able to see." Isabelle said. She put a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged her hand off. "I know. I just can't bring myself to just up and leave like that." He said. "It doesn't help that she came and barged in the place in tears and bled out before my eyes. It scares me what is to come if this is before the blow." Jace looked at Alec, in hope that he may have an idea. Alec shook his head and looked down. "I don't know." Isabelle gave him a hug. "When will you come back?" She asked. He sighed. "As soon as possible. As soon as I can." He said. Alec looked at him sadly. Jace stood up. "I was planning on going an hour ago. I should probably go. Take care of her. Please. And call Simon, she's gonna need him." He said as he left the room. He planted a kiss on Clary's cheek. Isabelle looked at Alec. "Do you think we are safe?" She asked him. "What do you mean?" He asked. She looked at him like a little girl looked at her mother when in fear. "I mean...will the spirits bother us?" She said. Alec focused on the rain outside. He didn't know how to tell her he didn't know without scaring her. "Isabelle, I won't let anything happen." He said. She nodded slightly. He knew she didn't entirely believe him. "I'm going to go get Simon. He's asleep." She said sadly. Alec nodded. "I'll stay here with her." He said. "Alec...?" Isabelle said at the doorway. "Yeah?" He looked at her. "Don't tell her about why he left. Don't scare her anymore than she is." She said. Alec nodded. Isabelle gave him a sad smile before leaving.

Clary awoke with a migraine. Alec, Simon, and Isabelle sat together on the bed next to her. "What happened?" She murmured. They looked at each other nervously. "You hit your head." Alec said rubbing her leg soothingly. "Where'd Jace go?" She said sadly, remembering what had happened. Isabelle looked into Alec's eyes sadly. This wasn't going to be easy. "He left." Alec said, now holding her hand. "She looked at him."No." She said in disbelief. "He did." Isabelle said sadly and put a hand on her shoulder. "He wouldn't leave me like that." She said shaking her head. Isabelle looked at her sadly. "I'm sorry. He did." "Where'd he go?" She demanded. Alec looked at Isabelle. "We don't know, Clary, he didn't tell us." Clary began to cry. Simon spoke up for the first time, "Clary? Clary, shhh, listen..." He started. "He'll be back, okay?" She looked at Simon. "But...when?" She said through tears. "Um...I don't know, Clary..." Isabelle said. "Why'd he leave...?" She asked. Alec frowned. "Clary, we can't tell you." She looked from Alec's face go Isabelle's, then to Simons. "You're just going to let me suffer? Let me have to die slowly?" She said offended. "Clary..." Isabelle's started. She didn't want to hear it.