Chapter 2 is here much quicker than I thought I'd have it ready.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything at all associated with Shadowhunters or the books that it comes from. I just like to play around with the characters at times. I only own the plot bits that have to do with my OC Alora. Anything from the show itself IS NOT MINE.

Chapter 2 - Knowledge

Clary and I meet up a few hours later at our favorite coffee place, Java Jones. We have so much to catch up on.

"It's been so long," Clary says as she walks up to me and hugs me. "It's good to see you again."

"It's nice to see you again as well, too. I've missed you, too."

"So are you going to tell me why you up and disappeared and stayed gone for so long?" Clary asks, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Coffee?" I ask, grabbing the cup from the table and lifting it up to her. "Your favorite."

"Are you trying to butter me up?"

I shrug and give her my best innocent smile. "Maybe, maybe not. I'll never tell."

Clary narrows her eyes at me for not longer than a moment before reaching out to take it from me. "Well, thank you," she says. "But you still owe me an explanation."

"I promise I'll tell you what I can."

"You can't tell me everything?"

"When the right time comes along, I can," I reply, looking around the coffee shop. "Out in the open where anyone can hear... probably not the best place to talk about certain things."

Clary nods her head. "I get that."

"So shall we sit and catch up with what we can tell each other?"

"Sounds good to me."

A few minutes later we are sitting down at a table in the corner and catching up on what we've missed out on in each other's lives. It felt like old times. We were able to pick back up exactly where we left off.

Clary reaches forward to push a strand of hair out of my face as I stir my coffee. "I love what you've done with your hair."

I laugh, placing my spoon down and picking up my cup to take a sip from it. "Are you sure you're not just saying that because it's a deeper red than yours now?"

She smirks and shrugs her shoulders. "Maybe. Maybe not."

We always had a little competition thing going about who could get their hair to be the brighter red. It was weird to others who found out about it, but we never cared. It was a sister thing. It didn't matter what anyone but us thought about it.

"So what have you been up to since I've been gone? Anything new and exciting?"

"No, not really," she answers, looking away.

"Nothing exciting has happened in the past five or so years?" I raise an eyebrow. "That both sucks and sounds a tad bit suspicious."

"Well, alright... when you put it that way..." Clary trails off and I immediately know she's keeping something from me.

"Rissy... what aren't you telling me?"

She shakes her head. "I can't tell you."

I frown. "But we tell each other everything."

"I mean, I can't tell you here."

"Oh, ok. That's better then," I say with a smile, taking another sip of my coffee. "You can tell me later when we're at home."

"Uh, well... about that..."

"About that what?"

Clary stands up. "Like I said, I can't tell you anything here. Let's go somewhere private to talk."

"But I haven't finished my coffee yet!"

"We'll get you a to go cup."

I sigh and stand up, too. "I suppose we can do that."

After all, I really do want to know what she is keeping from me. My gut tells me it is something big... something I may or may not freak out over. On second thought, maybe I do not really want to know what it is. Nah, who am I kidding? I want to know.

~thehungerthatconsumes~

"Wait a second. Let me get this straight," I say as I try to wrap my head around what Clary just told me. "Mom is missing? Simon is missing?"

Clary nods. "Yes, we don't know where mom is though, but we have some clues as to Simon's whereabouts."

I raise an eyebrow. "We?"

Clary looks away.

"You're still hiding something from me. Clarissa Adele Fray, you better stop leaving things out."

I was almost certain I knew what she was keeping from me. My biological parents had explained everything to me when I went to stay with them. I left New York once I hit puberty and my own changes began to happen. New York was always going to be home to me, so I still visited and kept close with Clary and Jocelyn. Jocelyn raised me and I'll forever consider her my mom because of it.

"I found out something about myself the other day..." Clary starts and pauses mid thought.

I stop walking and turn to face her, reaching out to grab her hand. "You know you can tell me anything, Rissy. I am here for you no matter what."

"I'm not fully a..."

"Not a full what?"

"...human," Clary whispers.

"Okay," I say, processing her words which are confirmation that I do know what she is. "If not a full human, what are you then?"

"A Shadowhunter."

I knew it was coming, but having it out right confirmed... you've overcome your past issues, you'd never hurt her. it's fine. you're fine.

I know I have to pretend not to know what a Shadowhunter is, so I ask, "What's that?"

"Shadowhunters are human angel hybrids. We're appointed warriors of Earth."

"Oh, and you're one of them." I swallow the lump that has formed in my throat as I think to myself, And your blood is extremely addicting. But that's no longer such a big deal. I'm older and smarter now... more in control.

"I am," Clary says as she nods her head and sighs.

"You don't seem so happy about that."

"No, it's not that... not really. It's just that... it's so much to take in at one time. I haven't had much time to process all of this. What with mom being taken, then finding out I'm a Shadowhunter, then Simon being kidnapped by vampires."

"Wait! What?! Simon was kidnapped by vampires?!

"I told you that..."

I cut her off. "No! You told me he was missing. Not that he was kidnapped by vampires!"

Clary gives me a confused look. "That makes a difference?"

"Yes, very!" I exclaim already running down the sidewalk, pulling her with me. "We need to go now! Take me to the Shadowhunter hideout."

"Wait, you know about... how are you going to help with this?"

"You're not the only one with secrets."

I suddenly feel resistance and stop running. "Come on, Clary," I urge, glancing back at her.

She pulls her arm from my grip and crosses her arms over her chest. "What secrets are you hiding?"

"We do not have time right now," I insist, reaching for her again. "I will tell you everything after we save Simon."

Clary stood there for a moment, processing my words before sighing and beginning to walk down the sidewalk. "I am holding you to that."

"I don't doubt it for a second," I tell her. "Now please. Show me to the Shadowhunter lair. We really do need to move fast."

"Is something wrong? Do you think the vampires are going to do something to him?"

"No... believe it or not, he'll be fine with them... for now," I assure her all the while thinking to myself, It's Camille I worry about. I never trust her to do the right thing. "Now seriously, take me to the Shadowhunters headquarters. We don't have much time to waste."

"Okay, alright," Clary says, giving in. "The abandoned church. It's there."

"Thank you. You could've just said that."

"I trust you, but at the same time I don't."

I nod. "Yeah, I don't blame you. I get it."

"Should I call and tell them we are coming?"

"There's no time."