Sam ran through the hallways, barely even catching her breath. It's not like she could slow down or even stop, but thinking about Jace made her stop, Jace had been through a lot with her, he just left his Parabatai behind, and she wanted to show him how much she appreciated him being here for her.
"Jace! Just hold on a second," She breathed out, stopping in her tracks. She was exhausted, trying to get her breathing back to normal. Jace had stopped spinning around with a frantic look before realizing the blonde was probably just taking her breath.
"It's okay. We can take a breather." He said, walking over to her as she put her hand on her chest, trying to calm down her racing heart. She gulped slowly, turning to look at him, "No, it's not that. I, um..." She glanced at Izzy, giving her a meaningful look which Izzy gratefully understood.
"I'll scout ahead." She said, leaving the couple alone to have their conversation.
Sam had calmed down as she let her eyes trail up to Jace's eyes, "I just realized that I'm putting you through all this trouble, and you never even asked for it. I'm sorry," She apologized, and she meant it, he was not only helping her but he was also taking care of her, listening to her when she needed a shoulder.
"You don't have to apologize to me, Sam."
"Too bad, You can't stop me." She stated with a shrug, he nodded with a small smile, "Well, yeah, I'm starting to see that."
"It's just... I've been so caught up in my own problems between Clary and finding my mom that I never even stopped to think about how much you've actually done for me. So, thank you." She thanked the blonde who was by her side all this time, keeping her and Clary safe, she wanted to do more than thanks yous, but it's not the time though that would never stop her from talking her mind.
"You know, you're not too bad yourself. You've been kicking some pretty serious ass. At least, you almost got my ass kicked."
"You know you keep giving me these compliments, and I'll actually believe I'm good at this"
"Hey," He put his hand on her shoulder, Sam melted a little at the sparks but tried to keep a straight face, "You are good at this. I believe in you, Sam Fray. " They both smiled at each other.
They took off running after Izzy, whom they found standing in the middle of a crossroads, "Guys? It's pulsing." Izzy said, referring to her necklace that pulsed, indicating that demons were nearby, "Getting close. Let's spread out."
The three of them got their blades ready as they walked carefully through the tunnel, "Izzy, where is it?" Sam wondered, squinting her eyes, searching for the demon that Izzy's necklace had been buzzing about.
"I don't know. It's like they're right here, but I don't see them." Izzy answered as all of them looked around, anticipating the demons. A noise was heard from nearby, and before anyone can grasp what's going on, a big scorpion-like animal jumped onto Jace, pushing the blonde to the ground. Jace struggled with the demon for a few seconds before piercing it with his blade.
Sam rushed to him, pulling the Shadowhunter up, "Are you okay?" She asked frantically writhing about the blonde, before Jace quickly dismissed her, "I'll live."
"What the hell was that thing anyway?" Sam questioned with a frown, the demon wasn't like the one who attacked her in her house neither the ones that were in the pandemonium club.
"Shax demons. They're like the bloodhounds of the Shadow World." He answered her as Izzy turned to the couple, "They've been tracking us."
"What's the plan?" Sam inquired, looking at the two Shadowhunters, they've been through a similar situation and she thought they may have an idea about what to do next.
"The Institute's only a couple of blocks from here. Now, we can't lose them, but they won't be able to track us if we split up. Izzy and I will draw them away. No matter what happens, just keep running."
"What? You don't think I can take them." Sam questioned with raised eyebrows gripping her blade tightly. She was sure it was only the adrenaline talking but she also didn't like anyone doubting her.
"Of course I do, but if there's a lot of them, you won't be able to take them down on your own," Jace answered her, looking over his shoulder as one of the demons snarled at the group.
"They're coming," Izzy announced. Jace turned sharply to the blonde, "Run, Sam!"
Sam shook her head, running into the other hallway, looking over her shoulder as she rushed through the hallway. She stopped in her tracks when she reached a dead end, "You've got to be kidding me," She muttered, turning around to see the demons closing in on her. She reached into her bag, pulling the tarot card of the Cup out of it, she took a deep breath remembering how her mother reached into the card like her vision, she put her hand into it eyes widening as her fingers wrapped around the Cup pulling it completely out.
She turned to the demons in determination, "Get back!" She yelled at the demons that screeched at her before following her order getting back. Sam ran away from the hall she was in looking for Jace and Izzy, "Jace! Jace?" She called out to the blonde who appeared at the end of the hallway approaching her.
"Sam!" He called out once he reached her, "Are you hurt?" She asked as soon as she saw blood on Jace's face.
Jace dismissed her, "I'll be all right. You okay?" He asked making sure the blonde was safe.
"Yeah, I'm... I'm fine. I did it." She informed him with a proud smile creeping on her face.
"What happened?"
"One of the Shax demons cornered me. But I got the Cup. I don't know, my instincts just kicked in and I remembered what you said. Maybe you're right. Maybe I can kick ass after all."
Jace only nodded at her, "Sam, you're amazing. I always knew you could do it. Now give me the Cup and let's go."
Sam frowned tilting her head at Jace, she narrowed her eyes at him watching him skeptically, "Give you the Cup?"
"Yes. Only until we get back to the Institute. It's the only way I can keep you safe. I'll die before I let anything happen to you." He stated in a monotone voice that sounded nothing like Jace.
Sam could actually feel it in her gut that the man standing in front of her wasn't her Jace so she slowly reached into her pocket for her blade smiling sweetly at 'Jace', "Yeah, you're totally right." And instead of the Cup, the blonde stabbed 'Jace' with her blade, he grunted in pain doubling over, "Sam?" He inquired with a frown his face scrunched in pain.
For a second the blonde thought she stabbed the real Jace so she looked at him horrified, "Jace... No! Oh, my God! Jace!" She put her hand on his shoulder with panic flooding her face.
Then Jace's eyes lightened up showing his real demon face, Sam's face resolved with relief she made a deeper cut with her blade killing the demon instantly. Breathing heavily she looked around hearing footsteps approaching her rapidly, "Sam!" Luke called out to the blonde who raised her blade at him.
"Get back!" She yelled holding the blade in front of her in a threatening manner as Alec joined the couple
"How do I know you're Luke?" She asked her eyes fleeting from Luke to Alec raising her eyebrows at them.
"I got you your first journal on your tenth birthday." Sam sighed in relief putting her blade down, "What happened?" The werewolf asked with a frown.
"Demons. It's a long story really. Where'd you come from?" She wondered as Luke and Alec approached her.
"Jail. I ran into Alec. Said you might be down here. Thought you might need some help." He explained glancing at the demon's ashes that just disappeared, "Apparently not. Looks like she took care of it." Alec remarked.
Sam smirked putting the blade back in her pocket, "I told you, don't underestimate me." Alec rolled his eyes at her before the blonde turned to Luke, "Shouldn't we get going or something? More demons could be coming, right?" Sam asked looking around her in wary.
"Oh, don't worry about it. I got the pack on the lookout. If there are any other demons, we'll take care of them." Luke informed her comforting the blonde. Sam grinned at him, "Okay, Alpha" She said with an amused smile
"Well, you know, it has its perks." Luke shrugged a little embarrassed as the blonde nodded her head at the hallway, "Shall we?"
"Yeah. Right." Alec agreed as the three of them walked out of the tunnels.
Back at the institute, Jace was looking at maps of Brooklyn with another Shadowhunter, "These tunnels are swarming with Shax demons. If she's down there, it's only a matter of time before they find her. We need to make sure that doesn't happen."
He turned to the other Sadowhunters with a commanding look, "All right, listen up. I want this entire Institute on high alert. I don't care what anybody else says, I'll take full responsibility."
That's when Sam and Alec entered the OPs center, "Right now, Sam is the only thing that matters." He ordered looking at the Shadowhunters.
"Jace!" Sam called out making the blonde Shadowhunter turn to her with relief, "Sam"
Sam rushed to him pulling Jace into a tight embrace, "I did it. I got the Cup." She informed him with a grin, it took Jace a few seconds before wrapping her arms around the blonde sighing with ease.
Jace shook her head at her, pulling away from the blonde, "I don't care about the Cup. When I came out of the tunnels, I didn't see you. I was worried something might have happened-" She cut him off, "There was a demon. Shapeshifter. It looked just like you."
"You all right?" Jace asked worriedly checking the blonde who quickly dismissed his worry, "Yeah, I'm fine."
Jace raised his eyebrows, "And the demon?"
"In hell" She answered, Jace, frowned, "How'd you know it wasn't me?"
"He definitely lacked your charm and your perfect hair." She joked staring at Jace who grinned at her. Sam couldn't help but let her eyes wander to the blonde's lips back at the police station she couldn't have done it but right now that's all she's thinking about, "Really? Kind of risk, wasn't it?"
"You mean an iratze wouldn't have fixed it?" He raised his eyebrows at her so she rolled her eyes, "Fine, I just followed my instincts."
"Yeah, well, I told you, you're good at this" Sam smiled at him unable to hold herself back anymore so she slipped her hand around his neck, slamming her lips on his.
It took Jace a second before he wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer while kissing her back, all sorts of sparks flown everywhere between the couple as their lips crashed together, they pulled apart both still reeling from the kiss with their eyes closed.
Sam held the Cup in her hand inspecting it with Clary by her side and Jace on the other, "It just looks like a wine glass." Sam remarked handing the Cup to Clary.
"That wine glass saved your life," Jace said crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"True." Clary sighed looking at Sam, "What if... What if you hadn't gotten the Cup out in time? That demon-"
"Clary....." Sam started but was cut off by Jace, "But she did. The first rule of Shadowhunting... when something explodes, just keep walking. Never think twice. Never look away."
Sam frowned turning to Jace, "Really? What's the second rule?" She wondered.
Before Jace could answer Izzy took the Cup out of Clary's hand with her whip, "There's nothing a Shadowhunter can't do in heels." Izzy stated, walking down the stairs before handing the Cup back to the redhead.
"You can stare at this monitor all you want, they need angel blood to get past the wards. You know that." Jace started looking at Alec who didn't take his eyes off the monitor.
Sam took the Cup from Clary putting it back into the tarot cards as Jace continued, "No Downworlder can come into the Institute."
"Not without an invite by a Shadowhunter," Izzy added standing beside her brother.
"Last I checked, Valentine is a Shadowhunter. The Cup is not safe here. We have to give it back to the Clave." Alec stated staring sternly at the two sisters.
"Give it back to the Clave? No. Not after everything we went through to get it." Clary argued crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"My brother is right. The Cup is extremely important." Izzy stated, making Alec turn to her with a frown, "Are you agreeing with me?"
"I'm full of surprises."
Sam shook her head at the two siblings, "No, this Cup is our only chance to get our mother back, so no I'm not handing it to the Clave."
Jace nodded in agreement, "I agree with Sam. We can't give the Cup to the Clave, not now. We need it. It's our only bargaining chip."
Sam sighed turning to Alec, "Look, I know how powerful this Cup is. It has the power to create new Shadowhunters, control demons, and even kill a mundane if they drank from it. But I promise you, I will not let that monster get his hands on it." She promised with determination.
"There you go. You have her word." Jace added, it took Alec a moment to make up his mind before looking at the blonde, "Follow me." Alec led Sam to the vault-tile in the training area, activating the rune on the floor as a display came up, Sam turned to the black-haired Shadowhunter, "Alec"
He turned to her expectantly, "Thank you, This wouldn't have been possible without you"
Alec took the card from her placing it on the display, "Don't misread this as friendship. Since you've arrived, our whole world's been turned upside down." He stated before sealing the vault closed walking away from the blonde.