Okay! Hi there guys :) I'm Lissa! Some of you may know me for some of my other stories for Vampire Academy but this is unoficially my first Mortal Instruments fanfic (I tried doing that twelve days of Christmas thing on tumblr but it didn't work out too well). Anyways, this story is based roughly on one of those interactive story video game things I played a long time ago. Recently the plot line has been coming back to me so I decided it would make a nice fanfic :) Try to ease up on the jumping to conclusions, guys, that's always a problem i've had with hate. Seriously, any questions just ask. I'm sure it's not whatever you have in mind or I have a reason for what you do have in mind. Thanks :D

Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments and this plot is based on a video game a played a while ago (I'll see if I can find the name of it)

Clary stepped out of the airport gate, trying to shuffled past the crowds of people. She couldn't have imagined a place this large, even for New York. The airport in her hometown would never have been this crowded. Given, this was a city—new territory for her. Her mom would never had let her leave if Clary hadn't managed to hunt down her elder brother. He was hard to get a hold of now and days, but she guessed that would make sense because her brother was CEO of one of the largest companies in the city (meanwhile she was a fresh college graduate with a degree in art who couldn't manage to get a job if it saved her life; Which was why she was here). He had promised he could get her a job and a place to live... and it was New York... so she came over as fast as she could. Now, Clary chewed on her lip as she searched the crowd, looking for her brother's blond hair since it was the only true feature of his she could recall.

"Clary!" She whirled and saw a man waving at her—Sebastian. He looked older than when they had been kids, the baby fat that had once haunted his face was gone, replaced with broad muscle. His facial structure had sharpened, and he was taller, too (which was not fair because Clary hadn't grown an inch since about eighth grade). He wore a prim, well-fitted suit—a hint of the successful business man that he was. With a grin, she ran over, pulling him into a hug. No matter how different he looked, his hugs were still the best.

His arms looped around her waist as he led her back to an expensive looking car and drove Clary back to his house.

"You're going to stay here tonight while we get your living arrangements worked out," he said after showing her around the house (which was huge).

Clary frowned, "we?" She asked, since his tone of voice didn't sound as if he were referring to the two of them.

"Yes," he replied, taking her luggage and pulling it into his guest room, "one of my friends is helping you out. It's best you don't unpack just yet."

"Okay..." She watched her brother from the doorway. It had only just occurred to her that though he had spoken to her about a well paying job, he hadn't exactly entailed what she would be doing in that job, "and my job?"

"Don't worry, that's handled, too. I'll make an arrangement for a meeting so we can have all of the details sorted out," he sounded a lot more like he was making a business deal than being a caring brother, she noted. Sebastian checked his watch as if he had somewhere to be, "I have to go, Clary," apparently he did, "I'll be back in a few hours so we can eat dinner together. Make yourself at home, and help yourself to anything," he gave her a hug and slipped some money into her hand, "there's a grocery store across the street. Do you mind getting a few things for me?" Clary scowled, but remembered how much her brother was helping her out. She sighed, but nodded, "great. There's a shopping list on the counter. You can get something you'd like for yourself, too. Love you."

Then the door shut, and Clary was staring after it. Her brother was...different. He talked so quickly, he hardly left time for objection. Maybe that was a business strategy, but it was annoying. With a heavy sigh, she walked over to the counter, "let's see what we have..." She mumbled as she scanned over the list, thinking she might as well get it over with.

Tucking both the list and the money in her pocket, she walked over to the nearest store, hoping it was the one her brother had in mind.

The store wasn't as busy as she would expect from a New York store, but she guessed her brother wouldn't want to live near anywhere too crowded. He found a place on the outskirts of the city, from what she could tell. Still, this place was foreign to her, and she had to read all the signs to even begin to guess where to find the foods on the list.

She walked into the spice isle, staring up dejectedly at the chili powder she wanted...on the top shelf. The world was cruel. She balanced on the very tip of her toes, using one of the lower shelves as leverage. Her fingertips just barely brushed the spice, slowly inching it towards the edge of the shelf. That was when
she lost her balance.

"Hey!" She fell back into a tall boy with blonde hair, nearly knocking him into the next shelf. He caught at her arm after quickly regaining his balance, steadying her. His handsome face was turned up in a part way smirk, part way glare. It was the odd, yet very attractive, "I've seen a lot of girls trying to throw themselves at me, but this is by far the worst attempt."

Clary snatched her arms away. She had been about to apologize but the following comment made her want to slap him. He ignored her glare, walking around her as he reached up and grabbed the spice with ease, dropping it into her basket. She glared, "I didn't need your help."

"Well that's the New York spirit," he drawled, "but that's not the way to thank me. Or get me to help you further."

Clary crossed her arms, "and who says I need your help?"

"You've been wandering the store for a while, you've obviously not been here very many times, if at all. Besides, if any of the other items on your list," he nodded at the paper in her hands, "are higher than you can reach, you're going to need someone to still you from destroying the store."

He was observant. She had to give him that much. Besides, he sounded like he knew his way around the store and that would speed up her shopping.

"Fine," she handed him the list, "Knock yourself out."

The guy paused for a moment, looking from the Clary to the list, before he rolled his eyes and silently began gathering everything, without even a word to her. She had to scurry to keep up with him.

"There," he said as he shoved the basket at her, as if she had just been the biggest inconvenience to him. He was the one who persisted, she thought, she didn't ask him to she could even say so much as thanks, he had walked away.

"Rude," she grumbled under her breath, going to the check out. Were all the guys in New York like that? She rolled her eyes at the thought as she payed the cashier.

"Clarissa?" Clary blinked her eyes open as someone gently shook her shoulder. Sebastian's green eyes stared back at her, "Hey. When I got home you were knocked out on the couch. I guess I forgot how tired you must be from traveling," she sat up, eyes darting over to the clock on the wall, "Did you get the groceries?" He asked.

She nodded at the bag on the counter, "I didn't know where you wanted them, so the only things I put away was what needed to go in the fridge."

"Thanks," he ruffled her hair, something he used to do when they were younger, though he hadn't done it in a long while, "did you get something to eat? Sorry I came home later than I expected."

"Don't worry about it," she stood up, "I figured as much, so I made one of the frozen pizzas," she yawned as she got off the couch, stretching out, "there's still some left if you want it. Besides, we can always have dinner together another time, it's not like I'm leaving any time soon," she gave him a hug and kissed his cheek, "Night, Seb."

"Night," he whispered, still standing in the kitchen, looking a little upset as he watched her walk into the guest room.

Clary woke up the next day to the sound of voices in the kitchen. She sat up in bed, stretching out her back and yawning. After having gone to bed in the same clothes she had traveled in, she felt extremely grimy and her eyes couldn't help but wander back to the bathroom door, tempted to take a shower. Sebastian wouldn't have a problem with it. Yet, the voices made her curious. She pulled herself onto her feet, deciding she was going to see who the voices were coming from before she took a shower.

"No, Jace," Sebastian sounded angry, "I don't think you understand. I don't think this is a fair way to treat her," the was a pause as whoever this "Jace' was responded, "I don't think you—yes, I want to help you!" he groaned but then his eyes landed on her, "I have to go, Jace," he hit end before Jace could say another word.

Clary frowned, "Who was that?" she asked curiously. A colleague of his? She would imagine that Sebastian would talk so informally.

Sebastian hesitated, "The man I had told you about," he answered, "The one who will be helping you find your job and place to live."

"And his name is Jace?" she asked.

"Jonathan is his full name, but he prefers Jace. I've set up a meeting for you two," Clary turned her eyes back to her brother, eyes expectant.

They both had startling green eyes, she noticed, but that was were their similarities ended. He resembled their late father as much as Clary resembled her mother, almost a carbon copy with her petite frame, freckles, and thick, curly red hair.

After moments had passed and he still didn't seem to understand what her gaze was asking him, she sighed—exasperatedly so—and asked, "When?"

"Oh," against his pale skin, his cheeks colored slightly. It wouldn't have been noticeable if his skin was a shade darker, Clary mused, beginning to wonder how she would shade her brother in a drawing. He's probably inside too often, so caught up in work he never has time to catch the sun. Clary used to be just as pale as him, maybe even more so, since usually her skin was so sensitive it skipped the tanning phase entirely and just burned. She had fixed that over her college years in Florida, where she had very carefully tried to darken her skin tone to an average, normal looking color. It had worked a little and she was still proud of it (though her endless freckles still stood out like a sore thumb).

"Clary?"

She frowned and brought her attention back to her brother, "hmm?" she asked, noticing his look. She suspected that he had probably said her name a couple times.

"I said your meeting is in two hours. Are you okay?"

She scowled. His tone of voice had sounded as if he already knew the answer, and it wasn't a good one, "I'm fine," she said, "I just wasn't paying attention," he held up his hands in surrender, and she sighed, "Two hours is enough time to get ready," she said, trying to regain her focus, "How should I dress?"

His eyes scanned her up and down. Despite his relation to her, she still suddenly felt insecure under his gaze and shifted uncomfortably. There was no doubt that he noticed. Being the successful man he was, there probably wasn't much that went past him, "Just wear something nice."

"Formal?"

No," he shook his head, "Not the least bit."

Two hours later, she was sitting in the passenger seat of her brother's shiny black Mercedes, which looked brand new despite his telling her otherwise. The inside was clean and spotless, which only further led her to believe it was new. The only thing it was missing was that new car smell, which instead was "the Apple Spice" of the air freshener that hung from the rear-view mirror.

"Quit fidgeting," he said beside her, kind but firm. She sighed and shut the mirror on the sun visor. She had been been fidgeting, because she was nervous. First of all, her brother's instructions towards her attire hadn't exactly been clear. She wasn't meant to look formal? Wasn't this a formal meeting? And honestly, Clary wasn't even sure what "nice" was, or if she was capable of being it, "You look fine."

"Will Jace think I look fine?"

There was another pause. She frowned and brought her eyes towards her brother, raising both of her eyebrows since she couldn't raise only one. Sebastian glanced at her, sighed, then brought his attention quickly back to the road, "Jace is a hard man to please so I don't know."

"Well thanks," Clary rolled her eyes, "That really helped."

"There's no need to be nervous. It doesn't matter what Jace thinks."

"Huh?" Clary frowned, suddenly questioning what exactly Jace's role in her new life played. She had been imagining him as her employer, or at least her adviser. Shouldn't it matter what he thinks? Any further questioning, however, was cut off as Sebastian pulled into a parking lot, "We're meeting at a bar!?" Clary demanded.

Sebastian sighed as he took his keys out of the ignition and opened the door, "Yes, Clary. We're meeting at a bar."

Clary frowned as she got out of the car and scurried after her brother, silently cursing his height for allowing him to walk faster, "it looks closed."

"It is closed."

Clary snorted, "So what? We're meeting in the back alley? Are you guys secretly the mafia or is this a premeditated murder?"

"It's not a murder," Sebastian said dryly, "We're kidnapping you," he caught the look she was sending him and groaned, "Oh, would you calm down? Alec owns this bar, he's Jace's brother. And besides, it's a nice bar," he opened the door with ease, though she would have thought it was locked.

Sebastian hadn't been lying when he said it was nice. The lighting was dim, but it highlighted the granite bar at the center of the room, with bar stools organized neatly around it. To fill empty spaces were wooden tables, and red booths sat at the walls. From the ceiling hung multicolored lamps, giving everything around an incandescent glow. The first thing Clary thought as she entered the room was that she would have loved to paint it.

Standing on opposite sides of the bar were two males. The one behind the bar, with dark black hair, was facing her, so she could see his bright blue eyes as he made a drink. She guessed he must be Alec. The other one, standing on the other side of the bar—Jace—had golden hair and broad shoulders. He was dressed in a black suit that made Clary narrow her eyes the second she saw it. Her brother had told her not to dress formally.

Seeing her stare, Sebastian leaned down, "He just came from work," he whispered in her ear, "He's required to dress like that."

Still, Clary felt underdressed. The only thing that helped her feel a little better was that Alec wore a lose fitting t-shirt and (if she had to guess, jeans as well). He saw them first. When he did, the grinning, lighthearted look he had on his face faded. She watched as he said something to Jace, which caused him to turn around. His grin faded as well. Her eyes widened.

"You!" they said at the same time.

"You two know each other?" Sebastian asked, looking and sounding as surprised as Jace and Clary.

"We've met," she answered with a frown, "But I wouldn't say we know each other. I ran into him in the store," Jace snorted and mumbled something under his breath, "Say that again?" she challenged, crossing her arms.

Jace ignored her and turned his eyes to Sebastian, "Who is she, Sebastian?" he asked. She stared into his eyes, finding it remarkable how such a light, beautiful color could be clouded with such anger and disbelief. Who was she!? Shouldn't he know?

"This is my sister, Jace," Sebastian said slowly, answering Clary's question that he should know, "Clary."

Jace didn't look happy. He didn't say anything after that, he just stared at her, scrutinizing her. Clary met his gaze, expecting him to be embarrassed at having been caught and turning away, but he didn't even seem to care. Eventually she turned away, uncomfortable. Unsure where else to look, her attention turned to Alec, curious about the boy who looked nothing like his brother, but he was glaring at her. She chewed her lip and desperately turned to Sebastian, "My job?" she asked, hoping he would stop these two from staring at her the way they were.

"Jace, there's no room for you to be picky," was the only thing he said.

Clary felt like ripping her hair out. Her brother hadn't said anything, so she felt that she needed to, "Stop starring at me," she snapped at them, her cheeks now flushed, then she turned her eyes to Sebastian, "Picky about what?"

"Jace is going to be your employer. He's desperate."

"I wouldn't call it desperate," Jace said under his breath. Clary looked at his hands, which were gripping the edge of the bar so hard his knuckles had turned white, then to Alec, who had finally stopped staring at her.

"You are desperate, Jace," he chimed in, and Jace turned to glare at him. Alec only grinned, shrugging his shoulders.

Sebastian sighed, "Here's the deal, Jace needs-"

"Let me explain it," Jace said, his hands releasing the granite at last. Sebastian nodded, and now all eyes were on Jace as he walked over to Clary. He was tall, so Clary only went up to his chest and needed to look up to see his face, "I need you to be my wife."

Clary nearly choked.

"Way to be blunt, Jace," she heard Alec mumble to himself.

Clary was about to demand for more answers when Jace cut her off, "My fake wife, I mean. I work at an all-girls prep school and the only male teachers they allow must be married. I lied during my interview. I told them I had a fiance but we weren't married yet."

Clary was flabbergasted. How did you even respond to something like that? There was a heavy silence as she waited patiently for someone to tell her it was a joke and they could all laugh about it later. No one said anything and the silene ensued, loud and suffocating. The weight of it nearly crushed her more than Jace's words did, until she couldn't take it anymore.

"Of course not!" she exclaimed, turning her eyes to each and everyone one of them until they landed on Jace, "Are you out of your mind?"

Jace looked surprised. She took it that girls didn't very often say no to him. He was very attractive, the sort of person you would only find in movies or in art, but never in real life. Most girls would jump at the chance to fake marry him, she supposed. So hecould go find one of them.

When no one said anything, she continued, "You shouldn't of lied in your interview! You should have found a different school! But there's no way I'm marrying you, even if it's pretend."

"You don't need to marry me!" Jace said quickly, "You just need to be my fiance for a couple weeks. Please," he caught at her wrist. Clary's eyes flew towards the movement, staring at it until he released her hand. He was rude, blunt, and arrogant, from what she could tell about him. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like to pretend she was in love with him.

"No way!" she snapped.

Jace turned his eyes pleadingly towards Sebastian. He should have let him talk in the first place if he wanted her assistance so bad. He had experience in convincing people to do things,as a buisnessman, and he was her brother. Maybe Jace realized that.

"Clary," Sebastian said softly, "What else are you going to do? If you accept this job, you'll have a place to stay and you''ll be paid for it."

She whirled on him, quickly picking up on what he was suggesting, "You're not going to let me live with you?" she asked, throat going dry.

Sebastian looked sad but shook his head. Clary felt nothing but betrayal. He let her come here with such hope, thinking she was finally going to have a job and a good place to stay while she worked on her career as an artist, and the entire time he was planning on forcing her to do this!? The first time she had seen her brother in years... tears stung behind her eyes, but she tilted chin up, keeping her head held high. She wouldn't let them see how upset this had made her.

"And I'm staying with you?" she asked Jace. Her tone shook slightly, with anger or sadness she did not know.

"Yes."

Clary gritted her teeth, "Why?"

"Because only after I got the job did I find out the vice principle I work for is in the same apartment complex. He's starting to get very suspicious."

"Why don't you quit, then?" she snapped, clenching her fists together to keep down her anger. She wouldn't even look at Sebastian.

"Look," Jace said, getting impatient, "Do you want to take the job or not?"

"You heard my brother, I don't have a choice," not unless she wanted to go back home and live with her mom, dependent and broke once again. She didn't want to do that, not even if it meant this. She was an adult now, she needed to handle this. She swallowed to try to moisten her mouth, "How long do I have to do this for?"

"Only a couple weeks, until the school isn't suspicious. Maybe I'll move out afterward, tell them I wanted a bigger house so we could start a family," he already had this figured out, it seemed like.

"And my pay?"

"I pay you at the end," he said, "only after you help me convince the school."

Clary crossed her arms, "How much?" she demanded.

"I'll make it worth your while," Jace replied vaguely, "Do you accept?"

No!I Clary wanted to scream No, no, no! Never! Never in a million years! Instead, she clenched her fist and, not trusting her voice, she nodded. But she couldn't help herself, and after making sure she could speak without her voice cracking, she added, "Why me? Why not any random girl on the street?"

"Sebastian told me you were coming," Clary narrowed her eyes, "it would be an easy story if anyone asks us how we met. I met you through my friend Sebastian, you're his sister. It's true and it makes sense. If anyone looked you up, they would see we were telling the truth. Besides, they've seen me around with Sebastian. I was hoping you would look more like him so they could see the resemblance," he spoke so calmly, she thought. He made it sound as if this wasn't even a big deal, like people did this all the time.

Clary glared, "Whatever," she growled, just growing angrier and angrier with her brother, "When do we start?"

"Now."

That managed to surprise her out of her bad mood, "Now?" she frowned, "What about my luggage?"

"It's in the car," Sebastian said, finally speaking up. Like she had just thrown a boomerang, her rage returned at double what it had originally been. He looked sheepish, but Clary refused to acknowledge him, "I'll go get it."

He scampered off as Clary turned her eyes back to Jace, who was grinning wildely, 'It looks like a deal!" he said. Clary wondered just what she had gotten herself into.

Thanks guys :D tell me what you think! If feedback is good i'll keep going