Isaac watched as Simon and Maureen sung, her staring at him and him staring at Clary. It was a vicious cycle, two people in love with someone who would never love them back. It reminded him of Stiles, Lydia, and Aiden. Even if she never wanted to admit it, he knew that Lydia loved Aiden – like Jackson before. But he also saw the hurt in Stiles' eyes whenever she talked about him or he talked about her.
"Forever young, I wanna be forever young, do you really want to live forever, forever young." They finished singing. The audience clapped, along with Isaac (who was glad that their awful song was over), and they walked out.
Clary and Isaac stood next to each other, him wanting to protect her. "Thanks for being our roadie," Maureen smiled at the two.
"Please," Isaac rolled his eyes, "if I had a choice, I wouldn't be here right now. No offence."
The redhead scoffed, waiting for someone to say something else. Simon, who noticed, spoke up. "Yeah, and thank you for being our artist in residence."
She smiled at him. "Of course. So you went on stage tonight as Champagne Enema." The two laughed and glanced together, excitement building inside Isaac as he waited for their next awful name.
"What were we thinking?" Simon asked, looking at Maureen for conformation before continuing, "But now...we're Rock Solid Panda." Simon finished putting on his shirt (since he wanted to 'look cool' as he said, but Isaac only thought he would look slightly less like a dork) and looked at the two girls' beside him.
Maureen smiled up to Simon. "Yeah, we are." Isaac groaned and rolled his eyes, doing a little turn to avoid seeing the humans in front of him. Clary hit his shoulder to tell him to stop and be nice, her 'nice' way of showing it. Though, to Isaac, her hit was hard and really hurt.
"Rock Solid Panda, coming up. I'm feeling inspired." Clary shook the can before going to do her work, which sparked fear inside Isaac. After the events that had happened today, he was afraid of what would happen next. There was a feeling inside him that made him want to take Clary and run away, yet he didn't. "Paint, paint." Simon called after her, bringing more cans to help Clary, like always.
After what felt like an eternity to Isaac, she finally finished and took a step back to see her masterpiece. He had to admit that it looked pretty good, but the tag on the middle of the side of the van made him uneasy. It was a sign of the Shadowhunters, and he was afraid.
"What's that tag?" Simon pointed to the tag that Isaac feared. He looked at Clary, studying her to see if she was starting to remember, but it was only confusion on her face.
"Weird, I didn't even mean to draw that." She looked at Isaac to see if he knew, but he acted like he didn't, causing her to feel self-conscious. "Second time today."
This caused Isaac to look at her once again, but she didn't notice. "You know," Maureen started, "they have confirmed cases of people waking up in the morning speaking French, and they never studied the language."
Isaac looked at her in surprise, wondering why she would know that. But, then again, Stiles did do research on people sacrificing babies at alters when the darach came back to Beacon Hills. The thought of Stiles made his heart hurt again, he had never gotten over leaving them.
"Do you think that's some kind of language?" Maureen only shrugged at Clary's question.
Isaac scoffed, "A language? Please, Maureen, that is a symbol. Sym-m-bol not a language. Like, what?" He laughed nervously at the end.
Clary looked at Isaac in confusion, wondering why he would care about this. "Why do you care? Do you know what it is?" Isaac shook his head ferociously, trying to draw away her suspicion, but it only made it worse.
Just then, someone bumped into Clary, drawing her attention away from Isaac. For a split second, he thought it would be okay. "Hey, can you watch where you're going?" Isaac looked at the man she bumped into, and gulped.
Shadowhunter. His tattoos and the way he was confused made it easy to point out. Isaac looked away, not wanting anyone to think he could see the blonde boy as well.
"You can see me?" The Shadowhunter said, peering into Clary's eyes.
She only laughed and looked to the side before glancing back at him "Yeah, that's kind of the point, but you obviously didn't see me."
Yes, because he was using an invisibility rune, Isaac thought. He didn't say anything, though, still not wanting the blonde to see him. "You have the Sight," the boy continued.
"What, the what?" Clary asked, not knowing what was happening. This was what Isaac was afraid of, everything he feared was happening right now.
"How can I not know who you are?" His eyes still looking into hers.
Clary cracked a smile and laughed at him, not knowing what he was asking was important. "Has that line seriously ever worked for you? Even once?"
The Shadowhunter was about to say something else, but someone called his name, making him walk away. No one would be able to hear it, but Isaac did. Jace.
She scoffed at the place the boy used to stand, turning back to Simon and Maureen who looked confused at who she was talking to. Isaac walked towards them, standing next to Simon to avoid suspicion.
"Can you guys believe that blonde dude?" Clary asked the group, but no one else saw him so she looked insane.
"You mean the imaginary dude you were talking to?" Simon insisted, puzzled as to who his friend was talking to.
Isaac laughed, trying to uplift the mood. "Come on, Clary, you stop talking to your imaginary friends when you're eight, not eighteen."
She looked at him with hurt, "No, the guy right there, running into the club." Isaac turned when no one was looking, towards the club and wondered why Shadowhunters would go there.
"Clary, there's nobody there." Maureen stepped forward, trying to touch Clary.
She looked bewildered, trying to find a way to explain to them the man. "The guy covered in tats, like..." She stopped when she realized they would never believe her.
"What guy are you talking about?" Simon laughed slightly, trying to make sense of his crush.
She looked at all three of them. "You guys seriously don't see him?" Clary was scared of the answer she would receive, wondering what was wrong with her.
"Clary," Isaac began. "Did you take some of those pills that make you hallucinate?" Such pills didn't exist for Clary, but it was the only thing he could think of to make her feel better.
"Okay, could you guys stop making me feel insane?" She laughed slightly, ignoring Isaac's comment.
Maureen, who decided not to be helpful, said, "Could you stop acting that way?"
Simon searched his friend, attempting to find the source of her problems. "Clary, what was in your latte?"
She didn't answer him, only walking towards the club and taking off her jacket. "Where are you going?" Simon asked.
"To get some answers." She continued walking, not looking back. Isaac stepped forward, hearing Simon say, "Remember, your fake ID sucks."
Isaac looked up at the sign, reading Pandemonium, but some lights blinked making it spell Demon. "Well that's certainly comforting," he muttered to himself before running to chase Clary.
"Somebody works out," Clary flirted with a bouncer, taking his arm and walking with him. "Cool contacts." Isaac followed after, careful not to draw unwanted attention towards himself.
A woman brought her hand to Jace's – the blond Shadowhunter from before – face. "I hear you've been pedaling mundane blood," he said, unaffected by her welcoming touches.
Isaac's mouth went agape, realizing finally why they were here. "Oh," his tone was of realization, but it was quiet so no demon or Shadowhunter heard.
"Why?" The demon near Jace smirked, "Are you looking to score?"
"I'm not," he took her hand away from him, "but you're gonna tell me who is."
"Well, you're outnumbered here," the demon smirked, thinking that he was all alone.
"Oh," he also smirked at her ignorance, "I like our odds." After hearing the word 'our', Isaac looked around and noticed the other Shadowhunters placed in the room.
"Last chance," Jace said, lighting up his serph blade. He brought it up, ready to strike when Clary popped out and pushed the woman – demon – out of the way, "Watch out!"
Then, all the Shadowhunters and demons came out from the shadow they were hiding in and started to attack each other. One went for Clary, but Jace stabbed them, making it disappear. "Careful," he grunted afterwards.
The fight continued, but Isaac did nothing to help. His mind flashing back to Beacon Hills and the downfall of the Nogistune, a lump formed in his throat and he tried not to cry. One last scene played in his mind, and it was the one that broke his heart, the death of Allison.
Everything happened so fast, but his mind was in slow motion. It pained him to think that Allison never loved him at all, that he was just a play toy to help get over Scott, or to get him jealous. He was brought out of his thoughts by Clary grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the scene.
"Ow – Clary, what are – ow!" He got his hand out of her firm grip, making her turn backwards to him. "Clary, listen to me." She looked at him, her eyes forming tears from fear. "It's okay, everything will be okay.
Her lip trembled, "Nothing is okay, Isaac! I killed someone tonight, can it get any worse?" After her outburst, she turned back and continued to walk outside the club, passing Simon and Maureen on the way.
"You have no idea..." He mumbled to himself, running to catch up to Clary. She called for a taxi and the two got in, waiting for it to reach the apartment.
•••
Once they arrived there, the two ran up the stairs. Her, to tell her mother about everything. And him, to pack a bag. There was only one way this could end, with a Circle member at their house. He got is favorite, a black duffle bag that was given to him from Chris, and started to pack his clothes and some weapons.
"You can never be too prepared," he remembered Chris telling him when he asked once. It was when they were leaving for France, the only Argent had packed a bag full of weapons that would be undetectable on the plane, but Isaac still didn't know how.
He finished packing his bag and walked out to see Clary pacing and Jocelyn sitting on the couch worried. "And then these creepy tentacles seemed to come out of the body builder's face, and...and then the just...vaporized." Clary's lip trembled after finishing those words. "I mean, I was drugged, right?"
Jocelyn calmly stated, "What did the markings look like on the blonde boy you were talking about?"
Isaac looked at Jocelyn before touching her arm slightly. "Joc, they were Shadowhunters. I think there were some Circle members." Jocelyn looked down in shame, upset that she couldn't tell Clary everything herself.
"Who cares, Mom, okay? Are you even listening to me?" Clary ranted on, wanting an explanation for everything that had happened that night. "I think I killed a guy."
Instead of trying to explain everything, Jocelyn said, "Clary, did they look like this?" She un-glamored her arm to show Clary her runes, Isaac wasn't in awe since he had seen them many times before.
"Mom, what the-"
"-Everything you saw tonight has a meaning and an explanation, and I've dreaded having this conversation with you since the day you were born." Jocelyn started, trying to find the right words to explain everything.
Isaac sighed, wanting to comfort Clary. "She's not kidding. Clary, she only wanted to protect you, you have to realize that."
Clary's eyes were lit with fear. "What is going on?" She then stammered, "Am I going insane?"
"No, you're not. But the protections are wearing off." Guilt was written on Jocelyn's face, fearing the outcome of this night. "You're eighteen now, and you need to know the truth."
The redheaded teenager's eyes furrowed together in confusion. "Protections? What does that even mean? Mom, you...Mom, you're scaring the hell out of me."
Jocelyn put her head down in grief. "I know, and that's why I've put this off until the last possible minute."
"We were going to tell you earlier today, but you didn't let us." Isaac tried to grab Clary, but she pulled away, afraid of what he could be talking about.
"Jocelyn, look out the window." Dot said, causing Isaac to go towards the window. What he saw made him swear under his breath. "Magnus called to warn us. They found you."
"Dot, it's time." Jocelyn then turned towards Clary and Isaac who had just moved back towards her. "Okay, listen to me. You cannot be near me."
Tears had streamed down Clary's face. "What's happening?"
"I got a very powerful person angry."
"What did you do?" Her voice was of fear, along with the rest of her. Isaac couldn't blame her, he was afraid as well when he found out about being adopted. It isn't easy being lied to your whole life, even harder when you start to figure out the reason why your adoptive father would hate you.
Jocelyn looked everywhere but Clary's eyes, not wanting to see the hurt on her face. "I hid something from him and his followers."
"Followers? Why can't we just call the police?"
Isaac grabbed her, pulling the teenager towards the portal Dot was creating with her warlock magic. "The police wouldn't be able to help us, Clary, they don't know half of the things that go on in our world."
Clary's mother put a necklace with a purple gem around Clary's neck. She looked down at it, Isaac knew under other circumstances she would be aweing at it. "Keep this with you and think of me when you wear it," Jocelyn explained a little.
"Mom, this is not the time for birthday gifts." Isaac would usually laugh at this, but it wasn't the time for laughter. "What the hell is happening?"
Dot came over and handed Jocelyn a vial with a potion. Isaac's breath hitched, this would put her in a coma. "What the hell is happening?" Clary sort of yelled.
"Trust your instincts. You're more powerful than you know." Jocelyn looked into Clary's eyes.
"Mom, I need to understand what's-" Clary tried to ask, but failed once her mother's voice started.
"Dot, open it!" She grabbed Clary's arms. "Everything I've done, every mistake I've made was because I love you more than words."
Clary's lip trembled in fear, everything was happening so fast. Dot was opening the portal and Isaac was grabbing his bag and standing to the side, ready to bring Clary with him. "What are you doing?"
"Luke will explain everything. He'll hide you." Was the only thing Jocelyn said to her daughter.
"Hide me?" Her voice was quiet and fragile, and Isaac knew that she was about to break.
"From the Circle. Him and Isaac are the only ones you can trust." Jocelyn's words were quick. "Trust no one else."
Clary continued to cry, her mind didn't understand anything about what was happening. "Mom, I don't..."
"Where's Luke now?" Jocelyn said loudly, helping Isaac push Clary towards the purple portal. Isaac continued to her just in case she wanted to run.
"At the police station!" Clary yelled back, but in fear. Isaac couldn't comprehend what was going through her brain. He had been in positions like these before, but he always knew what he was getting in to.
"Remember, I love you." And that was the last thing the two heard before disappearing into the portal then reappearing at the police station.
"Mom! Mom!" Clary called to no one in particle. She looked around, noticing how they just magically appeared in the hallway (and on the ground) of the place in which Luke worked. "Isaac, what is happening?"
The werewolf sighed, looking down at his legs, not wanting to answer her. "Clare Bear, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I made a deal with your mo-"
"Clary? Isaac?" The voice of someone who worked there made Isaac shut up.
"Captain Vargas." Clary greeted with a shaky voice while Isaac just gave her a pitiful smile.
She smiled and laughed slightly at the looks of the two. "It's 2:00 in the morning. What are you two doing here so late?"
"Uh, um..." Clary stuttered out while Isaac gave her a cheeky smile, "We went to a club, because you know, we're teenagers and that's what we do. And Luke said he'd take us home, because – once again – you know that I don't own a car."
Captain Vargas smiled at the two. "Classic Luke," she muttered, but Isaac still heard, "Still doesn't trust those cabbies, huh? Well, he's in the middle of an interview. It could take a while."
Clary then stammered out, "Cool, we'll be in the cafeteria."
The two began to walk away, much to Isaac's relief, before the Captain stopped them once more. "Hey, uh...is there some sort of problem? Guy trouble?"
"Yeah, sure. Guy trouble, it's, uh...something like that." Her voice was distraught and her mind far away from here. Isaac lead her to Luke's office space, but stopped once he saw the Circle members talking to him.
"The minute we found out Jocelyn Fairchild was alive, you were easy to track." One of the members said. Both Clary and Isaac heard it, but the latter more clearly.
Clary looked down at her hands, like trying to decide who she really was. "Fairchild?"
The curly haired boy looked at Clary in sympathy, "Your real last name. I'm sorry."
"Turns out you and Jocelyn were never that far apart. The Circle has her now. It's just a matter of time until we catch the daughter." The one continued.
The other, who was sitting on his desk, said emotionless, "You can have them both if you give up the Mortal Cup."
"I don't care about either of them. They mean nothing to me." This made Clary gasp, and Isaac look down. Luke's heart told him he was lying, but Isaac couldn't help but feel like he was unwanted to the werewolf. "Kill them both if you like. My people want the Cup. Why do you think I've been hanging around all these years?"
Isaac gulped and looked at Clary. "He doesn't mean that." But Isaac wasn't sure if he was convincing Clary or himself, but either way it didn't seem to be working.
He then continued, "Now when I find the Cup...I'm going to keep it. And you can tell Valentine and the Circle that." Isaac tensed at Valentine's name, finally, there was conformation that the bastard was alive.
"No one mentioned Valentine," the male Circle member said. Luke looked at both of them, "You didn't have to."
"Listen to me," the first (and male) member pointed a finger at Luke, but he swatted it down and put up his own.
"No, you listen to me. Get out of my office." After that, the two rogue Shadowhunters left and Clary and Isaac hid behind the stairs they were behind.
"He didn't mean any of it," Isaac muttered to himself again. He wanted to believe it, to be able to tell himself that and believe it, but he couldn't.
Isaac was all too familiar with the feeling of being unwanted, and it was something he never wanted to feel again.
•••
sorry that this took so long to update, I haven't had that much inspiration for this. But, this is the longest chapter I have ever written, so good for me!
The next chapter will hopefully be soon, but other than that this chapter is dedicated to -voidliamsdunbar because she is awesome as fuck.