Getting The Past Back (An Infernal Devices and Mortal Instruments Crossover)

XXXII

Everyone is silently eating their breakfast when Magnus came back to the dining room with Alec and Isabelle. Alec is wearing an old sweater and a pair of jeans while Isabelle is wearing one of her typical outfits which now consists of a short sleeveless turtleneck dress with slits on the sides with matching gloves and a black pair of boots. Her hair is done in a neat bun pinned with a chopstick.

"Somebody ordered chinese?" Jace mockingly asked everyone. Isabelle sneered at him, but managed to keep her cool. "Hello, Clary." She ignored Jace's snicker at her as she walked by the dining table and leaned herself on Clary suggestively. Tessa was intrigued. The boys suddenly became interested between the two. "I must say, my shirt looks good on you." Clary blushed and looked down on her plate. "Mind if I ask, why are some of the buttons are in the wrong holes?"

Clary gaped at her, then blushed furiously.

Isabelle giggled, then turned to Jace. "Call me a Chinese delivery girl, but at least I wear my clothes the right way whenever someone sees me with someone. Not that..." She added when Alec gaped at her, scandalized. "I've been caught doing something kinky before. I just know myself enough."

With that, Jace immediately looked down at his shirt and realized that he wore it the other way, all the stitches clearly visible which they are not supposed to be showing. He blushed a faint red, then excused himself to the bathroom.

Clary could only glare at Magnus. The man had the nerve to shrug her off and looked as if he did something accidentally. "I really do not plan on telling them." He explained. "But it became awfully boring and awkward for the three of us on the way here, so I tried to lift the spirits by telling a very interesting story."

Before Clary could respond, Tessa intervened, not liking where this breakfast talk is going. "You guys had breakfast already?"

Alec and Isabelle nodded. "We had a bite before Magnus arrived." Isabelle said. "I'd settle for another cup of coffee, though."

"Now, that you mentioned it, I'm starting to starve." Magnus agreed.

Tessa rolled her eyes. Magnus really loves to exaggerate everything. She asked the two to take their seats while she headed back to the kitchen.

Moments later, everyone decided to go home to New York in their borrowed clothes, though it took a lot to convince Clary to agree. They got an extra luggage bag from the Lightwood's place. Isabelle herself insisted she won't even miss it, which is kind of true after they saw Isabelle's room. Under her bed is a neatly assembled and stacked luggage bags, most are coated with dust. Piles of luggage bags also occupied a few vacant spots on her closet. Alec was horrified after discovering this, figuring he owns only two or three. Isabelle defended her mom owns some of the bags, but Alec doubts it. Maryse Lightwood would know better than to turn her daughter's room to a basement. Maryse also lended an old trench coat to Clary. She knew everyone in New York would give her looks whenever she walks around in the streets in a trench coat that would look like a nun's dress on her but it is better than to walk around in some super kinky outfit with extra skank the last thing you would like to do is call it a normal dress. Her mom would ground her for even wearing such thing, and Jace may end up in the juvenile for killing pimps who would wave dollars at her face with their predator looks.

Once they're done packing, they went over Jia Penhallow's place to say goodbye. It was an awkward moment. They're never that close to Jia's family, after all. When they asked how's Aline doing, Jia told them she's not that happy. The Clave did not allowed Helen to pay a visit. But they did allowed Helen to send a present and Aline was more than fine with that.

Clary was skeptical to draw a portal rune at first, but with a few valid reasonings, she reluctantly drew one, still insisting they use one of the Clave's portals to return, even if Jia said herself a portal rune would be fine. The rune worked instantly as soon as Clary is done drawing it. A shimmering circular wall of light blue liquid appeared before them.

"So that thing you and Henry made were based on runes, huh?" Will mused out of the blue. "Not exactly." Magnus said. "Clary here has a very special talent."

"She can also make portals out of runes?"

Magnus bit his lip, bothered and worried that he might spill out the very dark reasons for Jace and Clary's talents. "In a manner of speaking, yes."

"Everybody, hold hands." Clary instructed. "To be safe, we're going in the portal simultaneously." Everyone did as she said it. Clary grasped Jace's hand on her left, Tessa on her right. Will's warm hand grasped Tessa's once more and she wished he would not let go. Jem held his parabatai's hand as Alec held his. Magnus is sandwiched between the two Lightwoods.

"New York Institute." Clary said. Everyone nodded and started focusing on the Institute's gate as they step as one. Everyone's grasps went tighter as they began to walk inside the portal, a single image of an old gate focused on their minds.

In the blink of an eye, they were back. The familiar noise of the busy streets echoed behind them. It was a very hot afternoon at New York, with many bypasses walking around. Good thing they used Glamour before they made the portal, or the mysterious, all of a sudden appearance of eight people in front of an old abandoned building would be in the headlines for tomorrow.

As soon as everyone opened their eyes, they immediately checked on each other in hopes that they came back whole, only for that hope to be shattered when Clary noticed that she was holding Jem's hand. Jem is equally astonished.

Where is Will and Tessa?