The Best Friend

7

I was woken up by the feeling of something being tied tightly around my waist. I looked down to see a thick rope wrapping around my body a few times. I didn't realize what they were doing until I was shoved off the side of a balcony in what looked to be an old, dark, dirty ballroom. I realized then that they must have brought me to the Hotel Dumort. I was now suspended from the ceiling by the rope, which was currently hurting my waist. It had been tied to tightly, and by the look of the knot, it had been rushed. I was still a bit groggy from the drugs, so I ignored the pressure and just went limp in the air. It felt weird, being that my stomach was face up to the ceiling and my arms and legs were dangling freely in the air, but I was too out of it to really care. I suddenly thought of Simon, the reason I had gotten into this whole mess. I wasn't blaming Simon, just hoping he was okay after my life was now in danger after trying to save him.

I then heard voices and quick footsteps followed by what sounded like grunts of pain. I remained still and silent hoping the vampires would go away if they thought I was unconscious. Also, I really was just to groggy from the drugs. I heard whoever it was enter the ballroom below me, and then heard many more footsteps from either side.

"Jace!" I heard a familiar voice call out.

I was able to open my eyes halfway and look down below me. I was relieved to see Simon was still alive and was now leaning on Clary's shoulder. The others were also there, holding their weapons ready to fight off the vampires who had surrounded them on both sides. Without another sound, the vampires all charged. I couldn't keep track of all five of my friends, my eyes could only pick out glimpses of Clary's bright red hair. But suddenly I saw the bright golden hair of my best friend. A vampire held him in a headlock and looked to be suffocating him. I painfully reached down and grabbed one of my throwing knives from my pocket. I aimed carefully, knowing there was still a slim chance I could hit Jace. Then I threw. It hit home in the heart of the vampire, who fell without another sound or movement. Jace looked around, searching for the person who threw the knife. I tried to call out, but my voice was hoarse and scratchy.

"Jace!" I heard Clary cry out. "It's Ali! She's above you!"

"Ali!" I heard Jace call out as I moved my head and looked down at him where he was standing directly below me. "Cut the rope with one of your knives!"

"Are you insane?" I called out. "I'll die from a fall like that!"

"Just trust me!" Jace screamed as he drove his blade into a nearby vampire.

And I did. Without thinking twice, I grabbed another dagger from my pocket and cut the rope. I then was free falling through the air. I didn't have time to scream, or even time to think of screaming. I waited for the hard impact that I was expecting, but instead fell into warm arms.

"You caught me." I stated the obvious.

"Of course I did." He said. "You really thought I was going to just let you fall?"

"I honestly didn't even think." I said.

I then realized he was still holding me, and I also realized vampires were coming at us from all directions. I jumped from Jace's arms as we fought them off. I suddenly saw Izzy being pulled across a long table by her whip, which was being held by a vampire. I ran from Jace's side and rushed to Izzy's aid, killing any vampires that got in my way. I stabbed the one pulling Izzy's whip and it dropped to the ground motionless. Izzy gave me a quick hug before we were all backed into a corner by the vampires.

"There's too many of them." Izzy observed.

"Have a little faith." Jace said and I almost laughed. I would've if we hadn't been in this situation.

And just when I thought things couldn't get worse, the windows all smashed and werewolves jumped in. I stared in shock as the others started running.

"Come on!" Alec said as he grabbed my arm and led me away.

Jace was practically carrying Simon as we ran up the stairs towards the roof. I looked at Alec's watch and realized the sun was probably coming up by now and once we got into the sunlight, we'd be safe. We burst through the rooftop door and more vampires jumped to block our paths.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I yelled in annoyance.

And with that said, I raced at them with my seraph blade. I sliced and stabbed until I saw Jace struggling to get Simon and Clary up a ladder to the higher part of the roof that was bathed in sun. I ran over and began shoving Clary up the ladder behind Jace. I began climbing after her as Jace pulled her up. She tripped and they tumbled over backwards, her landing on top of him. I sucked in a breath as I looked away and continued climbing. I then head a scream and looked over my shoulder to see Izzy fall.

"Izzy!" I screamed in panic.

"Ali, wait!" Jace screamed.

But I didn't listen. I didn't bother with the ladder and jumped down before racing to Izzy. I screamed her name as I stabbed the vampire that was about to kill her.

"Izzy!" I said as I turned her over. "Where are you hurt?"

"My leg." She grunted. "It took one of my throwing knives and stabbed me with it."

"Where's your stele?" I asked desperately.

"I don't... I don't know." She was starting to fade into unconsciousness.

"Izzy!" I said frantically, realizing she and I had both lost our steles. "Isabelle!"

She wasn't responding, and I saw more vampires were coming up through the rooftop door. I used all the strength I had left in me, which wasn't much, and hauled her over my shoulder. I started running across the rooftop as Alec started running towards us.

"No! Go up the ladder! I'll hand her up to you!" I yelled.

He nodded before quickly climbing up the ladder and reaching down for his sister. I passed her up to him before climbing up myself. I collapsed in exhaustion not even making it all the way onto the second level of the roof. The lower half of my body from my waist down was still dangling off the edge. I looked up to see Jace and Alec bending over Izzy and healing her while Simon and Clary were hugging in relief. I sighed as I rested my head down on my arms.

"I'm fine now." Izzy said while still catching her breath. "I think I can walk."

"Let's get back to the Institute, then." Jace said. "We all need some rest."

"Ali?" Alec asked with concern in his voice.

"I'm okay." I mumbled. "Just exhausted."

I then felt his hands slide under my arms and lift me the rest of the way up the ladder. Alec put on arm under my knees and the other under my back. Normally I would protest, but at the moment I was too tired to care.

"Is this yours?" Jace asked as he held up the knife I had thrown.

"Yeah." I said as I slid it into my jacket.

"You saved my life." He said. "Thank you."

"You've saved my life before." I replied. "More times than I care to admit."

He smiled at me as I rested my head on Alec's shoulder and drifted off to sleep.